USDA Summer Breakspot provides free meals to students

USDA Summer Breakspot provides free meals to students.

The United States Department of Agriculture teamed up with local school districts to serve up summertime meals to children.

For Fort Myers mom Ashley Smith, Monday’s lunch in the park provides a significant relief at the start of a busy summer where she is caring for two people.

“Really excited about it,” Smith said. “Really thankful that there’s something like this going on.”

From now until nearly the end of July, anyone 18-years-old and younger can pick up breakfast, lunch or snack in Lee County’s USDA Summer Breakspot program.

“There’s a large portion of kids in Lee County that are not food fortunate,” said Amy Carroll, a nutrition coordinator for the School District of Lee County.

Organizers said nearly 70 percent of Lee County students qualify for free and reduced-price lunches. These meals will not go away when school is out for the summer. The program is available in all our local counties.

“I mean to be quite honest,” Carroll said, “I think a lot of them would be going hungry. I really do.”

But at 102 sites, Monday through Friday, across the county kids and teens can grab a healthy meal, along with a full workout on the playground.

“When they’re nourished,” Carroll said, “they’re more likely to succeed.”

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To find the USDA Summer Breakspot closest spot to you, including those in Collier and Lee counties, type your address in this website.