Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

San Diego Unified Schools Transform into Meal and Nutrition Hubs for Summer

Schools in the San Diego Unified School District will join local YMCAs, military sites, public libraries, parks & recreation centers, and other neighborhood organizations as meal distribution centers this summer, providing access to healthy food for children and teens in need. The Summer Meal Program runs from June 10 through Aug. 2, offering free breakfast and lunch for anyone ages 18 and under, as well as nutrition education resources, activities, and food benefits to help families purchase groceries.   

"When school is out for summer break, a large number of kids lose access to the healthy meals they rely on during the school year," said San Diego Unified Food and Nutrition Services Director Alicia Pitrone Hauser, in a statement. "Summer meals ensure all children have consistent access to the nutrition they need to learn, play, and grow — and this makes children be better prepared to start another school year."

"Summer can be the hungriest time of year for families experiencing food insecurity," commented Bob Kamensky, CEO of nonprofit food distribution organization Feeding San Diego. "Our summer meal programs aim to get nutritious food out into the community where it's needed most. We rely on strong partnerships with schools, libraries, and rec centers — all fundamental gathering places for parents across the county — to ensure that parents have access to no-cost groceries and meals." 

The Summer Meals Program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Children do not need to be San Diego Unified students to participate and there are no registration requirements or paperwork required.

For more information, visit the San Diego Unified site.

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Arlington High School

    Arlington High School

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. Arlington High School has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Grand Prize award in the category of New Construction.

  • Texas Recruitment

    Texas Recruitment

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The University of Texas at Austin's Texas Recruitment has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Grand Prize award in the category of Renovation.

  • Higher Ed is Betting on New Buildings While Quietly Undermining Their Campuses — Here’s Why

    In this climate, the owner’s representative has changed from a delivery-focused advisor to a strategic campus partner. Institutions are increasingly relying on owner’s reps not just to manage, cope, schedule, and budget, but also help evaluate whether a project should proceed at all.

  • Designing for Every Mind

    Learning environments have the power to shape not just what students know, but who they become. When a school is designed with genuine empathy—for the full range of ways students think, sense, and engage with the world—it becomes more than a building. It becomes a catalyst for growth, confidence, and belonging. That is the animating idea behind neurodiverse design, and it is one that is transforming how more architects and designers are thinking about school design.