Topeka school districts provide free summer meals
With school out for the summer, there are a number of Topeka children who will miss the the daily school breakfasts and lunches they need.
This is why the United States Department of Agriculture started the Summer Food Service Program. Administered through the Kansas Department of Education, the program allows children 18 years or younger to receive nutritious meals when school isn't in session. The SFSP reimburses districts for the cost of the service.
"We believe it is imperative to do all we can to help meet food insecurity needs in the community during the summer," said Tiffany Anderson, superintendent of Topeka Public Schools. "It is a privilege to open over 15 meal sites to address the various needs across the district. Our district is committed to serving families across Topeka. This also allows our staff to interact with families to help ensure any additional needs they may have can be addressed."
All of Topeka’s school districts offer summer lunch locations, along with some nonprofit organizations. Meals are only available on weekdays. No registration is required, and children do not have to attend school to participate.
Adults aren't allowed to eat any food served to a child. Adult meals can be purchased for $3.75 for lunch and $2.25 for breakfast at each meal site.
Topeka Unified School District 501 locations:
• Shaner Early Learning Academy, 1600 S.W. 34th Street, June 3-Aug. 2, breakfast 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m., lunch noon – 12:30 p.m.
• Central Park Community Center, 1534 S.W. Clay, June 3-July 19, breakfast 8:45 a.m. – 9:45 a.m., lunch 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
• Chase Middle School, 2250 N.E. State Street, June 4-July 19, breakfast 7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m., lunch 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
• Highland Park High School, 2424 S.E. California, June 3-Aug. 2, breakfast 7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m., lunch 11:45 a.m. – 12:45 a.m.
• Hillcrest Community Center, 1800 S.E. 21st Street, June 3-July 19, lunch 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
• Meadows Elementary, 201 S.W. Clay, June 3-Aug. 2, breakfast 8 a.m. – 9 a.m., lunch 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
• Oakland Community Center, 801 NE Poplar, June 3-July 19, snack 9 a.m. – 9:30 a.m., snack 3:30 p.m. – 4 p.m.
• Quincy Elementary, 1500 N.E. Quincy Ave., June 3-July 19, breakfast 7:45 a.m. – 8:45 a.m., lunch 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
• Ross Elementary, 401 S.E. Market, June 3-July 12, breakfast 8 a.m. – 9 a.m., lunch 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
• St. David’s Episcopal Church, 3916 S.W. 17th Street, June 3 – July 19, lunch 11 a.m. – noon
• First Church of Nazarene (Bridge), 1001 S.W. Buchanan Street, June 3 – July 4, lunch 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
• Topeka High School, 800 S.W. 10th, June 3-June 29, breakfast 7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m., lunch 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
• Westminster Church, 1275 S.W. Boswell, June 3-July 19, lunch noon – 1 p.m.
• YMCA Southwest, 3635 S.W. Chelsea Drive, June 3-July 19, lunch 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
• Capital City/TCALC, 2731 S.W. East Circle Drive S, June 3-June 28, breakfast 7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m., lunch 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
• Forest Park, 3158 S.E. 10th Street, June 10-June 21, breakfast 8 a.m. – 9 a.m., lunch 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Seaman USD 345: Lunch will be open to any child ages 1-18 from Monday through Friday at Logan Elementary, 1124 N.W. Lyman Road. Lunch is available June 3 to July 26 (no meal July 4) from 11 a.m. to noon. At 10:45 a.m. Monday, there will be a summer lunch kickoff event at Logan with the Topeka Pilots mascot officially opening the food service line.
Shawnee Heights USD 450: Lunch will be served at Tecumseh North Elementary, 314 Stanton Road, from June 3 to Aug. 2, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Auburn-Washburn USD 437: Both breakfast and lunch will be served at Pauline Central Primary, 6625 S.W. Westview. The program began this past Thursday and will continue through July 25. Breakfast is served from 8:25 a.m. to 9 a.m., and lunch goes from noon to 12:45 p.m.