Long Beach youth ages 1-18 can receive free, nutritious meals through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Summer Food Service Program from June 16 through Aug. 22 at two dozen locations in Long Beach and Signal Hill.
“Every child deserves the nourishment they need to grow, learn and thrive—even when school is out,” said Mayor Rex Richardson in a public statement. “For more than 40 years, the Summer Food Service Program has been a vital service, ensuring our young residents have access to wholesome meals and supporting our community’s health and wellbeing.”
During the program, Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine staff will distribute free meals at 22 local parks for children and youth Monday through Friday. Meals will also be served at Bret Harte and Brewitt Neighborhood Libraries Tuesday through Friday from June 17 through Aug. 8. No lunches will be served on Thursday, June 19 and Friday, July 4.
Each site operates between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., with the following serving times at participating locations:
Serving Time: 11:30 a.m. – Noon
- Bixby Park – 130 Cherry Ave.
- College Estates Park – 808 Stevely Ave.
- Drake Park – 951 Maine Ave.
- Houghton Park – 6301 Myrtle Ave.
- Lincoln Park – 101 Pacific Ave.
- Martin Luther King Jr. Park – 1950 Lemon Ave.
- Orizaba Park – 1435 Orizaba Ave.
- Stearns Champions – 4520 E. 23rd St.
- Coolidge Park – 352 Neece Ave.
- Scherer Park- 4600 Long Beach Blvd.
- Silverado Park – 1545 W. 31st St.
- Somerset Park – 1500 E. Carson St.
- Signal Hill Park – 1780 E. Hill St.
Serving Time: Noon – 12:30 p.m.
- Admiral Kidd Park – 2125 Santa Fe Ave.
- Cal Rec @ McBride Park – 1550 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
- Cesar E. Chavez Park – 401 Golden Ave.
- Seaside Park – 14th St. & Chestnut Ave.
- MacArthur Park – 1321 Anaheim St.
- Pan American Park – 5157 Centralia Ave.
- Whaley Park – 5620 Atherton St.
- Ramona Park – 3301 E. 65th St.
- Veterans Park – 101 E. 28th St.
- Bret Hart Library – 1595 W. Willow St.
- Brewitt Library – 4036 E. Anaheim St.
Lunch will be available for all attending children and youth between 1 and 18 years old. Infant meals will not be provided. Meals will feature well-balanced options, including cold components such as milk, juice, fruits and vegetables, and must be eaten in the designated eating area at each location. No registration is needed for eligible youth to receive lunch.
The Summer Food Service Program is now in its 46th year in Long Beach and has provided over 2 million meals to children and teens in the area since 1970, ensuring children continue to receive regular meals during summer break. The program is funded through the USDA and administered by the California Department Of Education.
Along with the City’s slate of summer events, this program aligns with the Long Beach Summer of Opportunity initiative, which aims to grow positive youth development and address youth violence. The full summer activities calendar can be viewed on the Summer of Opportunity webpage.
For the full list of times and locations and to learn more about the Summer Food Program, visit the program’s webpage or call the Summer Food Office at 562-570-3524.
