TACOMA, Wash. — Mary Bridge Children’s, in partnership with the USDA Summer Food Service Program, is offering free summer meals for youth under 18 from June 26 to Sept. 1, 2023.
Up to 9 million children in the United States face food insecurity, or lack of access to adequate food, reports No Kid Hungry. The summer months can be a particularly challenging time for families.
“Many kids struggle to get their nutritional needs met in the summer because they often lose access to free or reduced-priced meals at school,” says Erica Lewis, RD, health promotion program manager at the MultiCare Center for Health Equity & Wellness. “Mary Bridge Children’s aims to fill that nutritional gap with healthy food that kids enjoy.”
Meals are available on a first-come, first-served basis inside Mary Bridge Children’s Outpatient Center – Tacoma, Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Due to program requirements, meals must be consumed on-site. Chairs will be set up inside the outpatient center for children to sit and eat their meals, which will feature protein, fruits, vegetables and milk.
Serving as a USDA sponsor site for free summer meals since 2019, Mary Bridge Children’s welcomes all youth, regardless of their circumstances. Families can use the USDA’s Summer Meals for Kids Site Finder to access community sites in addition to Mary Bridge Children’s.
About Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital
Founded in 1955, Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital is the state-designated Level II Pediatric Trauma Center for Western Washington. Offering comprehensive care and resources for critically ill and injured children, Mary Bridge Children’s is the only pediatric hospital in Southwest Washington. Mary Bridge Children’s also provides primary, specialty, therapy and urgent care services at its outpatient centers and clinics across the Puget Sound region, including Tacoma, Puyallup, Gig Harbor, Olympia, Auburn, Covington, Maple Valley, Federal Way, Renton, Bonney Lake and Silverdale.
Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital & Health Network believes that kids should be at the front of the line. More than a place of hope and healing, Mary Bridge Children’s is a place where expert care helps kids get back to doing what they do best: being kids. Mary Bridge Children’s serves children and families, regardless of ability to pay, thanks to generous contributions to the Mary Bridge Children’s Foundation.
Mary Bridge Children’s is a part of MultiCare Health System, the largest community-based and locally governed health system in Washington state. For more information about Mary Bridge Children’s, visit marybridge.org or follow on Facebook, Instagram, or our Kite Strings blog.
