Edison summer meal program offers free meals to children

The Edison Local School District launched its Seamless Summer Option program June 1 to ensure students continue to have access to healthy, nutritious meals throughout the summer.

The program, an extension of the National School Lunch and Breakfast programs, is designed to help combat child hunger by providing free meals to children age 18 and younger in eligible low-income areas.

Once approved through the state agency, participating school food authorities may serve meals at no cost. Edison’s program will be overseen by Christine DelGuzzi-Chipps, district director of food and nutrition through Nutrition Inc.

“Summer should never mean going without healthy meals,” DelGuzzi-Chipps said. “Our Seamless Summer Option program allows us to continue supporting students and families when school is out, making sure children have access to nutritious food in a welcoming environment.”

Summer meals will be served at Edison High School from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. The program will pause June 26-July 17 and resume July 20-Aug. 20, with a closure Aug. 4 for professional development.

Edison also will participate in the Farm to Summer Challenge for the second consecutive year. After earning the Golden Gourd Award in 2025, the district chose to continue the initiative, which extends the Farm to School model into the summer by incorporating local foods and agriculture-based learning opportunities while school is out.

“Farm to Summer gives us the opportunity to connect nutrition, education and local agriculture in a fun and meaningful way,” DelGuzzi-Chipps said. “Students not only receive healthy meals but also learn where their food comes from and how it supports their bodies.”

The Farm to Summer Challenge ensures children and teens have ongoing access to nutritious meals and educational experiences. The first event of the summer will feature hands-on gardening activities, allowing students participating in the meal program to plant their own salsa gardens. Throughout the summer, weekly educational materials and locally sourced foods will be highlighted.

Featured local items will include berries, beef, dairy products, tomatoes and cucumbers, leading up to Edison’s Farm to Summer Cucumber Crunch July 23. During the event, students will explore cucumber recipes, sample varieties grown by local farmers, learn how to make refrigerator pickles and receive certificates recognizing their participation.

For questions about the Seamless Summer Option program or Farm to Summer events, contact DelGuzzi-Chipps at 740-282-0065, ext. 1114, or Christine.chipps@edisonwildcats.org.

For additional summer meal or food locations, visit www.fns.usda.gov/summer/sitefinder or www.fns.usda.gov/summer/sunmeals.