Summer Food Service Program
- Assistance
- $247 average annual savings
- Deadline
- None
- Time to apply
- No signup needed
- Processing time
- None
Overview
Free Meals June 25 – August 22
Youth across Seattle can enjoy free healthy meals throughout the summer! The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)—also known as the Summer Meals Program—offers breakfasts, lunches, and snacks for everyone 18 and younger, no registration or ID required. See this year’s site list.
Save the Date!
Celebrate summer with us on Friday, July 18, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at Pratt Park. Join us for food, fun, and community at the Summer Food Celebration! Download the event flyer here.
See the Program in Action
Eligibility
Children between the ages of 1-18 are eligible for the Summer Food Service Program.
All Seattle residents regardless of immigration status are eligible for City of Seattle programs and services unless noted otherwise.
How to Apply
No application or identification is needed. Find your nearest summer meals site:
- Download our 2025 Summer Meals Site List! Sites are marked either “open” (for general public) or “closed” (serving participants enrolled in onsite programming). This list will be updated throughout the summer.
- Seattle locations available soon:
- UWKC's Summer Meals Search Tool that displays SFSP sponsor, site, and meal information with online mapping tools.
- Enter your address to find other free, healthy meals being served by organizations in your community. / Ingrese su dirección para encontrar otras comidas saludables y gratuitas servidas por organizaciones de su comunidad.
- Call the USDA Hotline 1-866-3-HUNGRY (1 (866) 348-6479) / Llame al 1-877-8-HAMBRE (1 (877) 842-6273)
- Email SFSP@seattle.gov
Apply to be a meal site in 2026
The 2025 Summer Meal Site application period has closed. The 2026 Summer Meal Site application period will open in early 2026. Email SFSP@seattle.gov for any summer meal questions.
Watch this quick overview of the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) to learn if it might be a good fit for your organization.
All Seattle residents regardless of immigration status are eligible for City of Seattle programs and services unless noted otherwise.
Background and Funding
More than 18,000 children and youth in Seattle qualify for free or reduced meals, and 1 in 6 are food insecure. In 2024, almost 60,000 meals were served to children who otherwise would have missed a meal during the summer months.
The Seattle Human Services Department, Seattle Parks and Recreation, Seattle Public Schools, and United Way of King County recruit and support local sites. Together, they provide reimbursements to providers serving free, healthy breakfasts, lunches, and snacks to children and teens.
The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) was established to ensure that children receive nutritious meals in the summer months while school is not in session. The program is federally funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and administered by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) in Washington State. The City of Seattle's Summer Food Program is an equal opportunity provider and follows the federal program's guidelines. See the USDA's non-discrimination statement.
Food and Housing Resources
Families with eligible school-aged children may be eligible for Sun Bucks and get $120 per child to buy groceries during the summer. For more information, click here.
Learn how to apply for Basic Food (SNAP).
- Locate a Food Bank near you
- City of Seattle and King County Emergency Food Resources Map
- Call 2-1-1, Mon-Fri, 8:00am - 6:00pm
- Text to (877) 211-9274, Mon-Fri, 9:00am - 4:00pm
Contact
Email: SFSP@seattle.gov
Phone: (206) 386-1140