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June 26, 2025
LANSING – Michigan children have access to healthy food all summer even as they are on summer break from school.
Michigan Department of Education (MDE) officials are sharing information about the three key U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) no-cost summer nutrition programs. MDE administers two of the programs.
“To grow, learn, and be healthy, Michigan children need nutritious food—not just from school meals during the school year, but also during their summer vacations,” said State Superintendent Dr. Michael F. Rice. “Improving the health, safety, and wellness of all learners is Goal 3 of Michigan’s Top 10 Strategic Education Plan.”
The two MDE-administered programs are the Summer Food Service Program, also known as Meet Up and Eat Up in Michigan, and SUN Meals To-Go. In 2024, children accessed nearly 7 million healthy meals at more than 1,400 Meet Up and Eat Up and SUN Meals To-Go sites throughout Michigan.
The Summer Food Service Program provides free, nutritious meals to children via an on-site meal service at locations within local communities across Michigan.
In eligible locations where on-site meal service sites are not available, families can access Meals To-Go by visiting participating sites that serve a few days’ worth of meals for children to take home.
To find a Summer Food Service Program site in their community, people can visit the Meet Up and Eat Up locator map at www.michigan.gov/MeetUpEatUp. All information, including meal service times and serving dates, is on the map. The locator map website is updated regularly throughout the summer months. The map shows both Meet Up and Eat Up locations and Meals To-Go locations, which may be labeled as Rural Non-Congregate Meals.
The third summer meals program is the SUN Bucks Summer Electronics Benefits Transfer (EBT) program, administered by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS).
“Michigan children and their families shouldn’t have to worry about going hungry over summer break,” said MDHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel. “Summer break is a time when many children lose access to the reliable meals they receive at school, placing them at risk of hunger and malnutrition. The Summer EBT Program, in addition to our other nutrition assistance programs, like WIC and SNAP, helps us close the summer hunger gap by providing every eligible child with nutritious food, addressing one of the key social determinants of health, food insecurity.”
While funding for the summer meal programs is still in place, federal dollars for universally free school meals for public school students during the school year are in jeopardy due to proposed federal cuts to food assistance benefits and Medicaid.
“Michigan children win with the availability of free meals both during the school year and over their summer break,” said Dr. Diane Golzynski, deputy superintendent for the MDE Division of Business, Health, and Library Services. “It’s important for Congress and the Michigan Legislature to continue to support programs that feed children.”
For more information on the Summer Food Service Program, visit www.michigan.gov/sfsp.
The Summer Food Service Program is administered by MDE through funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and is available to children 18 and under regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, including gender identity, and sexual orientation, age, or disability.
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