Hungry? Lee County Schools feeding ALL kids under 18 this summer—no questions asked

Yahoo

2 days ago

BEAUREGARD, Ala. () — Lee County Schools are once again offering free summer meals for any child 18 or younger who is hungry or food insecure, regardless of where they live or go to school.
As part of Alabama's 'Break for a Plate' initiative, breakfast and lunch will be provided at no cost throughout the month of June. No registration, residency, or school enrollment is required—just show up, and your child will be fed.
'We're serving free meals as part of our summer feeding program,' said Krystal Patterson, Director of Child Nutrition for Lee County Schools. 'Any child under 18 can walk in and receive a nutritious lunch—no questions asked. They don't have to live in Lee County or be enrolled in our school system.'
So far, the program is serving around 350 children a day, but staff say that number could—and should—grow.
'We're just hoping to get the word out,' said Patterson. 'We want families to know that we're here, it's free, and we'll feed every child who walks through the door. No one should go hungry this summer.'
School nutrition staff say they are prepared to feed more children as awareness spreads and want to ensure that every family in need knows help is available—no questions asked. Meals must be eaten on site, and children must be present to receive them. The program runs June 2–5, 9–12, and 16–18, 23–24, offering a vital food resource while school is out.
Meal Times:
• Breakfast: 7:00 – 8:30 a.m. CST
• Lunch: 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. CST
Participating Sites:
• Beauregard Elementary
• Beulah Elementary
• Loachapoka High
• East Smiths Station Elementary
'We serve fresh fruits and vegetables, milk, and balanced meals every day,' Patterson said. 'It's a blessing to be able to provide this during the summer. Hunger doesn't take a break when school does.'
'You can tell which students are food insecure,' added Brandi Hightower, a cafeteria manager with five years of experience. 'I worry about them. Every day.'
But summer breaks often disrupt that consistency.
'The summer months are tough. We worry about our kids when they're not in school,' Patterson said. 'A lot of the families who need this program the most don't have access to Facebook, Instagram, or even reliable internet. We need help getting the word out.'
Lee County's summer feeding program is part of Alabama's Break for a Plate initiative and is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The USDA also funds school-year meals through the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), which allows high-poverty schools to provide free breakfast and lunch to all enrolled students without collecting household applications. Schools qualify based on the percentage of students receiving other forms of public assistance like SNAP, TANF, or Medicaid.
Lee County qualifies because Medicaid-eligible students count toward that formula. Before qualifying for CEP, Beauregard had over $20,000 in unpaid student meal debt. The local community raised the money to pay it off.
'We're concerned—cuts are already happening,' Patterson said. 'If the eligibility thresholds drop or Medicaid qualifications change, many Alabama schools might not qualify anymore.'
She applauded Alabama state lawmakers for stepping up this year.
'Our legislators have allocated $7.3 million to help fund breakfast programs across Alabama,' she said. 'That's a huge help, but we still need bipartisan support at the federal level to keep nutrition programs alive.'
For staff like Hightower, the impact is personal.
'This is my favorite part of the job,' she said, holding back tears. 'It gives me purpose. We have students who light up over a simple meal. They'll tell us we're the best cooks, or that lunch was amazing. That joy—that gratitude—it's real.'
The need is clear—and it's local.
'People think hunger doesn't exist in their neighborhood, but it does,' Patterson said. 'Before we qualified for CEP, we were over $20,000 in the red from unpaid lunch balances. The community helped us cover that, but it shows how great the need really is.'
If your kids need free meals this summer, the USDA's Summer Meals Site Finder can help you locate a program near you. As of May 30, 2025, the site includes meal locations in the following states: AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, MO, MS, NC, ND, OR, TN, TX, VA, WI, WV, and WY. If your state isn't listed yet, check back—new states and locations are added every Friday throughout the summer. Please note, the site does not include delivery locations for SUN Meals To-Go. For those services, contact your local meal site directly or reach out to your state agency. To search for free summer meal sites, visit the USDA's official Summer Meals Site Finder.
To learn more or find additional locations, visit the Break for a Plate Alabama website or contact participating schools directly.
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