WORCESTER — Monday, June 15, 2026 — Worcester Public Schools will provide free meals to children and teens under 18 years old in the city of Worcester from June 23 until August 21 as part of the Summer Eats program.

A full list of locations and service times is available on the Worcester Public Schools Summer Eats webpage. 

Summer Eats provides free meals to children and teens to ensure they continue growing, learning, and thriving over summer break. Participating meal providers, including Worcester Public Schools, operate meal sites in conjunction with activities and educational programming around the city.

This year, meals must be eaten onsite at participating locations. Any child or teen age 18 and under is welcome. No registration or identification is required. Summer Eats can be accessed in conjunction with SUN Bucks, which provides additional funding for groceries while school is out.

In Summer 2025, 128 sponsors served nearly 2.5 million meals and snacks at more than 1,100 sites across Massachusetts through the Summer Eats program, ensuring children and teens had access to free, nutritious meals while school was out of session.

“For many of our students, school lunch is their most reliable meal of the day,” said Brian Allen, Superintendent of Worcester Public Schools. “The Summer Eats program allows us to bridge that summer gap, ensuring our kids stay healthy, fed, and ready to learn when they return in the fall.”

“We’re making sure every Worcester family has access to fresh, healthy meals this summer—completely hassle-free. No IDs, no forms, no catch. Just show up and eat!” said Danielle Collins, Director of Nutrition for Worcester Public Schools. “It takes a village, and our Worcester village is showing up big time! A massive shoutout to our amazing staff and community partners who are turning local parks and libraries into safe, welcoming summer hubs. Together, we’re making sure our kids can fuel up with healthy food and dive straight into summer fun.”

For more than 20 years, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and statewide food security nonprofit Project Bread have partnered to support meal providers in offering Summer Eats meals to children in Massachusetts. Throughout the school year, the nonprofit and DESE also partner to expand access to and participation in school meal programs. This year, Project Bread has granted Worcester Public Schools $7,500 to enhance Summer Eats programming, including outreach, engagement activities, partnerships, and menu improvements.

Worcester Public Schools (WPS) serves nearly 25,000 Pre-K through Grade 12 students across nearly 50 schools and programs in New England's second-largest city. With a community-minded approach, WPS fosters engagement across diverse voices and provides a nurturing environment for students who speak over 70 languages. Committed to innovation, technology, and collaboration, WPS prepares its scholars for a future-ready workforce and a vibrant community.

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