All Vermont kids up to age 18 can receive free summer meals

June 30 2026  |  By Waterbury Roundabout

Across Vermont this summer, a program to distribute free meals to reach all children up to age 18 is underway as Hunger Free Vermont partners with school districts and various agencies.

The program aims to ensure that all children can eat for free during the summer school vacation stretch as part of the ongoing federal meals program that supports free school meals during the rest of the year. 

There’s no registration or paperwork required, and families can pick up meals at a variety of sites including libraries, parks, pools, churches, camps and schools.

Summer meals are part of a federally funded reimbursement program, administered by the Vermont Agency of Education. Local sponsors across the state work with the agency to help order, prepare, and distribute food to sites accessible to the public in eligible locations.

The nonprofit Hunger Free Vermont and the Essex-Westford School District are working together to distribute free meal boxes in multiple locations, including in  Central Vermont with two sites in the Harwood Unified Union School District.

Meal distribution is available at Brookside Primary School in Waterbury and at Waitsfield Elementary School weekly, according to information shared by the school district. Meals are being distributed at Brookside on Fridays through Aug. 14 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. In Waitsfield, the distribution will be on Mondays through Aug. 10 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. The program began last week.

Other locations for distribution in the region include Doty Memorial School in Worcester and Washington Family Center and Montpelier High School in Montpelier. Hunger Free Vermont has launched an online map to assist families in finding the most convenient distribution sites. 

“It’s so exciting to see more communities in Vermont than ever before providing summer meals for kids,” said Anore Horton, executive director at Hunger Free Vermont. “And the best thing you can do to keep summer meals strong is to have your kids participate, so use our new map to find the summer meals site closest to you, and have a hunger-free summer!” 

Meal boxes contain the equivalent of seven breakfasts and seven lunches for a child. The meals consist of proteins, grains, vegetables, fruits and milk. Items include cereal, muffins, bagels, wraps, deli meats and cheese, nut butter, whole cucumbers, baby carrots, apples, raisins and cantaloupe. Each box contains a gallon of milk.

Families who may need a meal modification for medical reasons can make such a request. More information on making a request is online here, along with details on additional distribution sites. 

According to program officials, Vermont leads the nation in providing summer meals to children. Last year, kids throughout Vermont received more than 1.5 million summer meals. This food helps nourish children, reduce pressure on household resources, bring federal dollars into local communities, attract youth to community spaces, and support kids returning to school ready to learn.

On program days, the meals are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, rain or shine. Families do not need to reside near the distribution site, however, organizers note that the meals are not intended for students already receiving their free meals in summer school or summer camps. 

School officials note that the free meal kits are for all families with children 18 and younger, not just those in financial need, and participating will not take meals away from those in need. “Federal funding is based on participation, so the more people who take the free meals, the stronger we can be for those who need us the most,” Hunger Free Vermont notes in its program announcement. More information is online here. 

In addition, the Vermont Language Justice Project has producedtranslated summer meals videos in 19 languages, and Hunger Free Vermont providestranslated outreach materials in 13 languages.