Stark County area children can eat free breakfast, lunch this summer at 30+ sites

Kelli Weir, The Repository
Updated ·8 min read
Jaden Carpenter, 11, left, and Joshua Sexton ,10, pick out carrots at Alliance Elementary School during the Alliance City School District's summer food program. Alliance is offering free breakfast and lunch at three separate sites this summer through Ohio's Summer Food Service Program.
Jaden Carpenter, 11, left, and Joshua Sexton ,10, pick out carrots at Alliance Elementary School during the Alliance City School District's summer food program. Alliance is offering free breakfast and lunch at three separate sites this summer through Ohio's Summer Food Service Program.

Children living in the Stark County area can eat for free at more than 30 locations this summer.

Several school districts and community organizations are offering the food as a way to bridge the three-month gap when families can no longer rely on their children receiving breakfast and lunch at school and may struggle to provide meals on their own.

Stephanie Sweany, executive director of the Stark County Hunger Task Force, said the nonprofit agency expanded the number of distribution sites and is now serving Massillon after seeing a significant uptick in the number of people seeking food help this school year.

“Hunger can have many negative effects on a child's physical and mental development,” Sweany said. “Providing weekend meals throughout the summer months can help set up a child for success as they go into the next school year.”

Research has shown that lack of enough healthy food can impair a child’s ability to concentrate and perform well in school, increases the chance they will have higher levels of behavioral, emotional and academic problems and can lead to more colds and infections in children.

Theo Bash, 8, bites into an apple at lunch at Perry High School. Perry Local Schools is offering free breakfast and free lunch to any child ages 18 and younger as part of Ohio's Summer Food Service Program.
Theo Bash, 8, bites into an apple at lunch at Perry High School. Perry Local Schools is offering free breakfast and free lunch to any child ages 18 and younger as part of Ohio's Summer Food Service Program.

Find a free meal for children

Below is a list of where you can find a free meal for your child (listed by school district).

Unless specified otherwise, any child who is 18 years old or younger can get a free meal at each of the listed sites, regardless of their family's income level. Children with disabilities and approved individual education programs can be up to age 21 and still participate.

Children must eat the meals at the site, except where the meal is being provided through a backpack program or in a drive-up format. The child does not have to be a student in the school district where the food site is located. No registration is required.

Most sites will be closed on June 19 and July 4 for the holidays.

Other Stark County resources for food: Stark Help Central

Some school districts and agencies are offering free food to only a specific group of children, such as children who are attending their summer learning programs. Those offerings are not included in this list. Other school sites that have traditionally offered free meals are no longer eligible under state or federal funding guidelines.

Fifth grade teacher Jodi Weaver passes out lunches at Alliance Elementary School. Alliance City Schools is offering free breakfast and free lunch to any child ages 18 and younger as part of Ohio's Summer Food Service Program.
Fifth grade teacher Jodi Weaver passes out lunches at Alliance Elementary School. Alliance City Schools is offering free breakfast and free lunch to any child ages 18 and younger as part of Ohio's Summer Food Service Program.

Alliance

Alliance City Schools will offer free meals Mondays through Thursdays at the following sites and times:

  • Alliance Middle School, breakfast from 7:45 to 8:30 a.m. and lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. through July 29.

  • Alliance Elementary, breakfast from 7:45 to 8:30 a.m. and lunch from 11:30 a.m. to noon through June 30.

  • Alliance Early Learning School, breakfast from 8:45 to 9:15 a.m. and lunch from 12:15 to 12:45 p.m. through Aug. 9.

Students enjoy lunch at Alliance Elementary School during Alliance City Schools' summer meal program. Alliance is offering breakfast and lunch at three locations this summer through Ohio's Summer Food Service Program.
Students enjoy lunch at Alliance Elementary School during Alliance City Schools' summer meal program. Alliance is offering breakfast and lunch at three locations this summer through Ohio's Summer Food Service Program.

Brown

Brown Local Schools will serve breakfast from 8:30 to 9 a.m. and lunch from 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Mondays through Fridays until June 15 inside the Malvern school cafeteria. Meals also will be served at the same times between Aug. 1 and Aug. 18.

Canton City

Through Aug. 4, the Stark County Hunger Task Force and the Stark Library are offering bags of food for children between the ages of 3 and 18 as part of their summer backpack program. Children do not need to be present.

Bags of food are available for pickup in Canton at the:

  • Stark Library’s Main Library from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays

  • Madge Youtz Branch from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesdays

  • DeHoff Community Branch from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursdays

Food also will be distributed at six Canton bookmobile locations:

  • Schreiber Elementary: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Mondays

  • Linwood: Noon to 1 p.m. Tuesdays

  • Creek’s Crossing: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays

  • Jackson Sherrick: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursdays

  • Skyline Terrace: 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Thursdays

  • Mahoning Manor: 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Fridays

Through Aug. 11, the hunger task force also will offer free meals from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at the Ken Weber Community Campus at Goodwill at 408 Ninth St. SW. A photo ID is required.

The Total Living Center at 2221 Ninth St. SW is offering free lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and free dinner from 5:20 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursdays.

Canton Local

The Canton Local School District will provide breakfast from 8:30 to 9 a.m. and lunch from 11 to 11:30 a.m. at Canton South Middle School on Mondays through Thursdays in June.

Carrollton

Through Aug. 4, Carrollton Local Schools will serve breakfast from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Mondays through Thursdays and lunch from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Mondays through Wednesdays in Carrollton High School/Middle School cafeteria. Meal package pickup will be available from 9:30 a.m. to noon Thursdays.

Fairless

Through Aug. 12, the Massillon Public Library and Stark County Hunger Task Force will provide a free bag of food to children ages 3 to 18 at the library’s Barry Askren Memorial branch and its Pam S. Belloni Memorial branch. Each bag will include two breakfasts, two lunches and two snacks. Bags will be available during regular library hours while supplies last. Children do not need to be present to receive the bags.

Lake

Through Aug. 14, Love Our Community is offering free lunches from noon to 2 p.m. Mondays and dinners from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursdays at Memorial Park’s closed pavilion at 335 Park Lane Drive SW. Delivery may be available upon request by calling 330-961-1212. Meals are available to all ages.

Marlington

Marlington Local Schools will serve breakfast from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. and lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at Marlington Middle School through Aug. 10. No meals will be served on July 4, July 28, Aug. 1 or Aug. 4.

From July 12 to July 14, the district also will serve lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. daily at Maranatha Ministries at 14289 Edison St. NE.

From July 17 to July 21, the district also will serve breakfast from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. and lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. daily at Maranatha Ministries.

Massillon

Through Aug. 4, Massillon City Schools will offer meals from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at Washington High School.

The district’s food truck also will be serving food from noon to 1 p.m. at the following locations and days:

  • Mondays: Walnut Hills, playground and pavilion area at Osage and Dixon Hilltop.

  • Wednesdays: Corner of Tremont and Eighth Street.

  • Fridays: Reservoir Park’s large pavilion off Sippo Boulevard NE.

Through Aug. 11, the Massillon Public Library and Stark County Hunger Task Force will provide a free bag of food to children ages 3 to 18 as part of its Summer Food Backpack program. Each bag will include two breakfasts, two lunches and two snacks. Bags will be available during regular library hours while supplies last. Children do not need to be present to receive the bags.

Through Aug. 4, the Massillon Family YMCA is offering breakfast from 7 to 8 a.m. and lunch from noon to 12:45 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

Minerva

Minerva Local Schools is providing meals at the same time as its summer enrichment programs as follows:

  • From June 26 to June 30, breakfast will be served daily from 8 to 8:30 a.m. and lunch will be served from 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in Minerva Elementary’s cafeteria.

  • In July, breakfast will be served from 8 to 8:30 a.m. and lunch will be served from 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays in Minerva Elementary’s cafeteria.

Julie Friedrichsen, Perry High School head cook, hands a tray of pizza to Mason Mayle, as Brayden Miller waits in line at Perry High School's summer meal program. Perry Local Schools is offering free breakfast and free lunch to any child ages 18 and younger as part of Ohio's Summer Food Service Program.
Julie Friedrichsen, Perry High School head cook, hands a tray of pizza to Mason Mayle, as Brayden Miller waits in line at Perry High School's summer meal program. Perry Local Schools is offering free breakfast and free lunch to any child ages 18 and younger as part of Ohio's Summer Food Service Program.

Perry

Through Aug. 4, Perry Local Schools will be serving breakfast from 7:30 to 10 a.m. and lunch from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at Perry High School. Enter Door No. 1. Adults can purchase breakfast for $1.75 and lunch for $3.75.

Plain

Through Aug. 11, Plain Local Schools will provide lunch from noon to 1 p.m. Mondays through Fridays in the Ellisdale Community Building at 3809 31st St. NE. Meals will not be served June 19, July 3 and July 4.

Through Aug. 4, the Stark County Hunger Task Force and the Stark Library are offering bags of food for children between the ages of 3 and 18 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Fridays at the library’s bookmobile stop at Ellisdale Homes. Children do not need to be present.

Sandy Valley

Through Aug. 4, the Stark County Hunger Task Force and the Stark Library are offering bags of food for children between the ages of 3 and 18 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays at the library’s Sandy Valley branch. Children do not need to be present.

Sebring

Sebring Local Schools will serve free meals through a drive-up format at its cafeteria door at McKinley High School from 11 to 11:30 a.m. Mondays through Thursdays. At least one child in a group must be enrolled at Sebring Local Schools.

Reach Repository education writer Kelli Weir at 330-580-8339 or kelli.weir@cantonrep.com.

On Twitter: @kweirREP

Brooke Longheier, site administrator for the Genoa Summer Camp through the Massillon YMCA, points out a healthy alternative to a camper in the food line at Perry High School. Perry Local Schools is offering free breakfast and free lunch to children ages 18 and younger as part of Ohio's Summer Food Service Program.
Brooke Longheier, site administrator for the Genoa Summer Camp through the Massillon YMCA, points out a healthy alternative to a camper in the food line at Perry High School. Perry Local Schools is offering free breakfast and free lunch to children ages 18 and younger as part of Ohio's Summer Food Service Program.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Stark County schools, agencies offer free breakfast, lunch this summer