Where to get free kids' breakfasts and lunches in Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky

Madeline Mitchell, Cincinnati Enquirer
·9 min read

Families who rely on free and reduced price meals during the school year can find free kids' meals throughout the Greater Cincinnati area and Northern Kentucky this summer.

While some programs are dedicated to students enrolled in a particular school district, library programs and some districts welcome kids from any location to participate.

Here's where families can get summer meals in Greater Cincinnati. Most of the programs are closed on June 19 and July 4.

Butler County

Fairfield City Schools provides free lunches for kids 18 and younger that must be eaten on site:

  • Fairfield Aquatic Center, located at 2605 Augusta Blvd., from noon to 12:45 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays.

  • Fairfield Acres Mobile Home Community, located at 94 Sammy Drive, from 1 to 1:45 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays.

  • East Butler County YMCA, located at 6645 Morris Road, from noon to 12:45 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

  • Deerfield Estates Mobile Home Community, located at 2702 Tylersville Road, from 1 to 1:45 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Hamilton City Schools' Big Blue Food Truck is providing free meals for kids 18 and under and $4 meals for adults this summer, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at select locations:

  • Millikin Woods, located at 194 N. Washington Blvd., on June 6, 15 and 28 and July 18 and 27.

  • Benninghofen Park, located at 3601 Putnam Ave., on June 7, 20 and 29 and July 19.

  • Crawford Woods, located at 2459 Hancock Ave., on June 8 and 21 and July 11 and 20.

  • Jim Grimm Park, located at 1025 Cleveland Ave., on June 13 and 22 and July 12 and 25.

  • Marcum Park, located at 116 Dayton St., on June 14 and 27 and July 13 and 26.

Most summer meal distribution programs require participants to eat their meals on site.
Most summer meal distribution programs require participants to eat their meals on site.

Lakota Local Schools is partnering with the Faith Alliance to provide free summer meals for kids 18 and younger, and for individuals with disabilities through age 21, through Aug. 1. There are five locations serving meals Mondays through Fridays:

  • Lakefront at West Chester apartment complex, located at 4637 Wyndtree Drive in West Chester, at the clubhouse from 11 to 11:30 a.m.

  • Princeton Village mobile home community, located at 8953 Princeton Glendale Road in West Chester, at the front entrance from 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

  • Meadow Ridge Apartments, located at 5270 Aster Park Drive in West Chester, at the playground from 11:10 to 11:40 a.m.

  • Woodland Elementary School, located at 6923 Dutchland Parkway in Liberty Township, at the lot by the front entrance from noon to 12:30 p.m.

  • The Boys & Girls Club, located at 8749 Cincinnati Dayton Road in West Chester, at the front entrance from 11:30 to 11:55 a.m. This location is serving meals to club students only.

Middletown City School's Middie Meal Machine is open Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. throughout the summer. Meals are free for all children ages 2 to 18, and adults can eat for $3. These meals are offered at a different school building each day, and must be eaten on site. The schedule and menu are available online.

Clermont County

New Richmond Exempted Village Schools is providing meals to kids 18 and younger to be eaten on site. The program runs Mondays through Fridays until July 28 at the following locations:

  • Lakeside Estates, located at 1560 Bethel-New Richmond Road in New Richmond, from 10:45 to 11:15 a.m.

  • Hi-View Estates, located at 2730 State Route 222 in Bethel, from 11:30 a.m. to noon.

  • Forest Creek, located at 118 Shady Lane in Amelia, from 12:15 to 12:45 p.m.

  • Tall Timbers, located at 2780 Lindale-Mount Holly Road in Amelia, from 1 to 1:30 p.m.

  • Culver Court Apartments, located at 1762 Culver Court in Amelia, from 10:30 to 11 a.m.

  • Eastgate Mobile Home Park, located at 147 Murray Ave. in Amelia, from 11:15 to 11:45 a.m.

  • Amelia Estates, located at 2061 State Route 125 in Amelia, from noon to 12:30 p.m.

  • Monroe Woods, located at 2173 State Route 125 in Amelia, from 12:45 to 1:15 p.m.

Hamilton County

The Hamilton County and Cincinnati Public Library is distributing summer meals and snacks for youth − that must be eaten on site − Mondays through Fridays at select locations:

  • Avondale branch, located at 3566 Reading Road, serves a meal at 1:15 p.m. and a snack at 4:15 p.m.

  • Bond Hill branch, located at 1740 Langdon Farm Road, serves a meal at 1 p.m. and a snack at 4 p.m.

  • Cheviot branch, located at 3711 Robb Ave., serves a meal at noon.

  • College Hill branch, located at 1400 W. North Bend Road, serves a meal at 1 p.m.

  • Covedale branch, located at 4980 Glenway Ave., serves a snack at 11 a.m. and a meal at 2 p.m.

  • Deer Park branch, located at 4020 E. Galbraith Road, serves a meal at 12:30 p.m.

  • Downtown Main branch, located at 800 Vine St., serves a meal at noon.

  • Elmwood Place branch, located at 6120 Vine St., serves a meal at noon.

  • Groesbeck branch, located at 2994 Galbraith Road, serves a meal at 12:30 p.m.

  • Madisonville branch, located at 4910 Whetsel Ave., serves a meal at 2 p.m.

  • Northside branch, located at 4219 Hamilton Ave., serves a meal at 3:30 p.m.

  • Price Hill branch, located at 970 Purcell Ave., serves a snack at 11:30 a.m. and a meal at 3:30 p.m.

  • St. Bernard branch, located at 10 McClelland Ave., serves a meal at noon and a snack at 4 p.m.

  • Walnut Hills branch, located at 2533 Kemper Lane, serves a meal at 4 p.m.

Norwood City Schools is serving free lunch to its students at Sharpsburg Elementary and Norwood High School every weekday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Families can register by calling 513-924-2815.

Reading Community City School District is offering free lunches for children 18 and younger Mondays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Reading Cafetorium, located at 810 E. Columbia Ave. The program lasts through Aug. 4.

Winton Woods City Schools distributes free lunch to kids 18 and under from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the following days at the following locations:

  • Central Park, located at 1201 W. Kemper Road, on Mondays and Wednesdays.

  • Greenhills Community Building Playground, located at 8 Enfield St., on Tuesdays and Fridays.

  • Winton Woods Lake, located at 801 Lake View Drive, on Thursdays.

Warren County

Franklin City Schools is offering a free summer meal program to kids 18 and younger. Children are served breakfast at Anthony Wayne Elementary, located at 16 Farm Ave. in Franklin, Mondays through Friday from 8 to 8:30 a.m. and lunch at the same place from 11:30 a.m. to noon. The program runs through June 30.

Kings Local Schools and Loveland City Schools are partnering with Joshua's Place Community Outreach Organization to provide free lunches for children twice a week during the summer, on Mondays and Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the South Lebanon Community Center, located at 83 N. Section St. Kids ages 1 to 18 enrolled in any public or private nonprofit school program are eligible. Youth ages 19 to 21 that have mental or physical disabilities are also eligible.

Northern Kentucky

Boone County Schools is offering free summer meals for kids 18 and younger at five locations:

  • RA Jones Middle School, located at 8000 Spruce Drive in Florence, serves breakfast at 7:30 a.m. and lunch at 11 a.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays in June.

  • Steeplechase Elementary, located at 12000 Grand National Blvd. in Walton, serves breakfast at 8:45 a.m. and lunch at noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays in June.

  • Goodridge Elementary, located at 3330 Cougar Path in Hebron, serves breakfast at 8:30 a.m. and lunch at 11:30 a.m. on June 19-22, June 26-29, July 10-13 and July 17-20.

  • Stephens Elementary, located at 5687 Highway 237 in Burlington, serves breakfast at 9 a.m. and lunch at 11:30 a.m. Mondays through Thursdays from July 5 through Aug. 4.

  • Florence Elementary, located at 103 Center St. in Florence, serves breakfast at 8:30 a.m. and lunch at 11 a.m. Wednesdays through Fridays from July 5 through Aug. 11.

Dayton Independent School District's Lincoln Elementary is hosting this year's summer meal program. The program runs Mondays through Thursdays until July 27, serving breakfast from 8 to 9 a.m. and lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Kids 18 and younger can attend at 701 5th Ave. in Dayton.

Grant County Schools is providing free summer meals until July 28 with its Lunch Hero Truck, the Lunch Bus Express and its Veggie Van. Weekly meals will also be provided at Mason-Corinth Elementary, located at 225 Heekin Road in Williamstown, on Mondays from 11 a.m. to noon. For more information on the district's mobile meals, check out the Grant County Schools Food Service - KY Facebook page.

Kenton County Public Library's food truck offers free meals to kids and $5 adult meals every Wednesday in June and July from noon to 1 p.m. at 401 Kenton Lands Road in Erlanger. Meals must be consumed on site.

Kenton County School District is serving free meals at six schools this summer:

  • Caywood Elementary, located at 3300 Turkey Foot Road, serves breakfast at 8:40 a.m. and lunch at 11:30 a.m. Mondays through Fridays until July 12.

  • Durr Library, located at 1992 Walton Nicholson Pike, serves lunch at noon on Fridays until July 28.

  • Fort Wright Elementary, located at 501 Farrell Drive, serves lunch at 10:45 a.m. Mondays through Fridays until July 28.

  • Mills Park, located at 3415 Mills Road, serves lunch at 11:15 a.m. on Wednesdays until Aug. 2.

  • Ryland Heights Elementary, located at 3845 Stewart Road, serves breakfast at 8 a.m. and lunch at 11:15 a.m. Mondays through Fridays until June 30.

  • White's Tower Elementary, located at 2977 Harris Pike, serves breakfast at 8:15 a.m. and lunch at noon Tuesdays through Thursdays until July 27.

Ludlow Independent Schools serves breakfast at 8:30 a.m. and lunch at 11:30 a.m. Mondays through Fridays at 512 Oak St. Meals are available to non-Ludlow kids, too.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Southwest Ohio schools and libraries provide summer meals for children