
Families who need a little extra help putting food on the table this summer look no further: The Open Door Summer Meals program is back, with walk-up locations opening next week!
Children and teens under age 18 are welcome to visit any of the participating sites during scheduled hours to receive free, nutritious meals through late August. The Open Door is proud to sponsor three federal Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) sites this year. The Open Door will privately sponsor 10 additional free Summer Meals for Kids sites where meals will be offered to children and their families with flexibility and choice.
Meals will be provided, at a first come, first serve basis, at the sites and times as follows:
Gloucester Walk-Up Locations:
- The Open Door at 28 Emerson Avenue will serve meals Monday through Friday. Monday through Wednesday meals will be available from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and meals will be available Thursday and Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Summer Meals for Kids will operate from July 5 through August 25 at this site.
- Riverdale Park (Mobile location in the area of 69 Veterans’ Way) will have meals available from 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Summer Meals for Kids will operate from July 5 through August 25 at this site.
- Willowood Gardens (Mobile location in the area of 40 Willowood Road) will have meals available from 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Monday through Friday. Summer Meals for Kids will operate from July 5 through August 25 at this site.
- Pond View Village (Mobile location in the area of 23 Lepage Lane) will have meals available from 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. Summer Meals for Kids will operate from July 5 through August 25 at this site.
- Gloucester High School at 32 Leslie O Johnson Road will have meals available from 9:45 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. Monday through Friday. Summer Meals for Kids will operate from July 7 through August 8 at this site.
- Field Days at Burnham’s Field with East Gloucester Community Church (in the field abutting Sargent, Burnham, and Pleasant Streets) will have meals available at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesdays from July 5 through Aug 23 EXCEPT for July 26.
- Story Hour at Sawyer Free Library with Backyard Growers at the Garden Beds at 2 Dale Avenue, accessible through the Middle Street entrance will have meals available select Thursdays including June 29, July 13, July 27, August 3, August 10, and August 24 at 10:45 a.m.
Gloucester Enrolled Locations:
- Summer Learning at West Parish at 10 Concord Street will have meals available for enrolled participants at 12:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Summer Meals for Kids will operate through July 27 at this site.
- Summer Program at West Parish at 10 Concord Street will have meals available for enrolled participants from 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Summer Meals for Kids will operate through August 3 at this site.
- O’Maley Academy at 32 Cherry Street will have meals available for enrolled participants from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Summer Meals for Kids will operate through August 3 at this site.
- Camp Spindrift at 27 Atlantic Street will have meals available for participants from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Summer Meals for Kids will operate through August 25 at this site.
Ipswich Walk-Up Location:
- Ipswich Community Food Pantry at 00 Southern Heights in Ipswich will have meals available from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays. Summer Meals for Kids will operate from July 5 through August 25 at this site.
Ipswich Enrolled Location:
- Winthrop Elementary School at 65 Central Street in Ipswich will have meals available for enrolled participants from 9:00 to 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Summer Meals for Kids will operate from July 10 through August 10 at this site.
The Open Door Summer Meals for Kids program strives to accommodate all allergies and special diets, and to learn more about the program or inform staff of a dietary need, please call 978-283-6776 or email summermeals@foodpantry.org.
Meals may contain choking hazards for children under the age of four.
The Open Door Sumer Meals for Kids schedule will be updated as needed throughout the summer at FOODPANTRY.org/summermeals.
About the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)
The Open Door is participating in the Summer Food Service Program. Meals will be provided to all children without charge and are the same for all children regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability, and there will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service. Meals will be provided, at a first come, first serve basis.
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:
(1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
(2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or
(3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
