Here's Where Kids Can Get A Free Meal In Long Beach This Summer

LONG BEACH, CA — Long Beach is giving out free meals to kids this summer as part of its annual program. Here's what to know.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Summer Food Program began Monday and will run through Friday, August. 22 — excluding holidays, just as Juneteenth and Independence Day.

Meals will be available for those as young as one year old to 18-year-olds, and must be eaten in a designated eating area, according to Long Beach city officials. Each meal consists of items such as milk, juice, fruits and vegetables, along with other "well-balanced nutritious options," city officials said in a June statement.

“Every child deserves the nourishment they need to grow, learn and thrive—even when school is out,” Mayor Rex Richardson said in a statement. “For more than 40 years, the Summer Food Service Program has been a vital service, ensuring our young residents have access to wholesome meals and supporting our community’s health and wellbeing.”

Here's a list of all 24 locations across Long Beach and Signal Hill that will offer free meals:

Serving from 11:30 a.m. to noon:

• Bixby Park - 130 Cherry Ave.
• College Estates Park - 808 Stevely Ave.
• Drake Park - 951 Maine Ave.
• Houghton Park - 6301 Myrtle Ave.
• Lincoln Park - 101 Pacific Ave.
• Martin Luther King Jr. Park - 1950 Lemon Ave.
• Orizaba Park - 1435 Orizaba Ave.
• Stearns Champions - 4520 E. 23rd St.
• Scherer Park - 4600 Long Beach Blvd.
• Silverado Park - 1545 W. 31st St.
• Somerset Park - 1500 E. Carson St.
• Signal Hill Park - 1780 E. Hill St.

Serving from noon to 12:30 p.m.:

• Admiral Kidd Park - 2125 Santa Fe Ave.
• Cal Rec @ McBride Park- 1550 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
• Cesar E. Chavez Park - 401 Golden Ave.
• Coolidge Park - 352 Neece Ave.
• Seaside Park - 14th St. & Chestnut Ave.
• MacArthur Park - 1321 Anaheim St.
• Pan American Park - 5157 Centralia Ave.
• Whaley Park - 5620 Atherton St.
• Ramona Park - 3301 E. 65th St.
• Veterans Park - 101 E. 28th St.

Serving from noon to 12:30 p.m. from June 17 to Aug. 8:

• Bret Hart Library, 1595 W. Willow St.
• Brewitt Library, 4036 E. Anaheim St.

The Summer Food Service Program, which is funded through the USDA and administered by the California Department of Education, has been serving meals to kids in the Long Beach community since 1979. Over those 46 years, the city has provided more than two million meals, according to city officials.

"This program aligns with the City’s Summer of Opportunity initiative, a collective impact approach focused on fostering positive development among Long Beach youth while simultaneously addressing youth violence," city officials said in a statement.