For many Wake County students, summer break means sleeping in, swimming pools and time away from school. But for some families, it can also mean losing access to the reliable meals students count on during the school year.
This summer, children and teens 18 and younger can receive free meals through the SUN Meals program, helping ensure no child has to wonder where their next meal will come from while school is out. No identification, registration or application is required.
“No student should spend their summer worrying about hunger,” said Susan Evans with the Wake County Board of Commissioners. “These meal sites help families fill an important gap while giving children a safe and welcoming place to gather, eat and stay connected.”
Wake County Cooperative Extension is expanding the reach of the SUN Meals program this summer by supporting four new meal sites across the county, helping more children and teens access free, nutritious food. The County will support a total of 14 sites this summer through community partnerships.
New locations this year include:
- Peach Road Cultural Center, 911 Ileagnes Road, Raleigh
- Raleigh Church of Christ, 911 Barringer Drive, Raleigh
- Redeeming Love Missionary Baptist Church, 3425 Rock Quarry Road, Raleigh
- Sherrill’s University of Cosmetology, 3601 Bastion Lane, Raleigh
This year also marks the launch of Wake County’s first hybrid SUN Meals site at Wendell Parks and Recreation. The site will offer meals on Tuesdays and Fridays, while also providing take-home weekend meal bags on Fridays that contain two breakfasts and two lunches for children to enjoy over the weekend.
Summer Meals officially begins on June 15 and runs through Aug. 16, but locations have varying schedules and offerings. In addition to meals, some locations also offer enrichment activities to help children stay active, engaged and supported during the summer months. Families are encouraged to regularly check the official summer meals webpage for updated locations, dates and serving times, as schedules may occasionally change.
For a full list of participating site visit wake.gov/summerfood
Wake County Cooperative Extension supports SUN Meals by helping community partners establish meal sites and connect families with available resources across the county.
