McGovern, Healey To Visit Westborough School Over Summer Meal Program

WESTBOROUGH, MA — Top state and federal officials will visit Fales Elementary in Westborough on Wednesday to highlight the state's new summer child nutrition program — a program meant to make up for the loss of pandemic-era food benefits.

The federal government is providing $70 million for the Massachusetts summer program, which will allow families with school-age kids that qualify for SNAP assistance (formerly called food stamps) to get an extra $40 in benefit in July, August and September for groceries while schools are closed. The federal government stopped offering increased summer food assistance in 2023 when the COVID-19 public health emergency declaration expired.

The program complements the Summer Eats child nutrition program, which provides free meals to kids under 18 all summer.

Gov. Maura Healey, U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Worcester, USDA Food and Nutrition Service Administrator Cindy Long, state Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler, Health & Human Services Secretary Kate Walsh, Department of Transitional Assistance Commissioner Jeff McCue, Director of Rural Affairs Anne Gobi, Acting Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Russell Johnston and local officials will all appear at the Fales Elementary event, which begins at 1:30 p.m.