Kids can eat a free lunch three days a week through the month of June, and families can pick up weekly meal kits to prepare and plan ahead through June and July.
The meals are funded by the federal Summer Nutrition program and carried out by the Lawrence school district. All children, regardless of residence, are welcome.
In-person free lunches
In previous years, lunches were offered every weekday through July. This year, they will only be offered three days out of the week in June only, beginning Monday, June 2, according to the district’s website.
The lunches will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The sole location this year is Woodlawn Elementary School, 508 Elm St. in North Lawrence. No registration or ID is required.
Kids ages 1-18 eat free, and adults can purchase meals for $5 each. Lunches must be eaten onsite, and the district’s website says because of federal regulations, adults are not allowed to share meals with kids or eat off of their child’s tray.
Nutrition and Wellness Director Julie Henry said turnout at daily congregate meals has been down the past two summers, but meal kits were wildly popular, according to district spokesperson Julie Boyle.
“It stands to reason with the convenience to families of being able to pre-order meal kits and have the flexibility to prepare them at home whenever their children are ready to eat them,” Boyle said via email.
Meal kits
In addition to onsite lunches, families can pick up five days’ worth of breakfast and lunch kits to prepare meals at home in June and July. Meal preparation instructions will be included.
There’s both a regular menu and a vegetarian menu for breakfast and lunch. Meal kits for adults are not offered.
Kits will be available for pickup from 6:45 to 8:45 a.m. on Tuesdays — June 3, 10, 17 and 24, and July 1, 8, 15 and 22 — at Youth Sports Complex, 4911 W. 27th St. in Lawrence.
Registration is required by noon on the Thursday before the intended Tuesday pickup so that organizers can prepare. One form should be completed per family.
Families who did not pre-register can complete same-day registration and pick up leftover kits from 8:45 to 9:15 a.m. on distribution days while supplies last, according to the district’s website.
Visit the district’s website, usd497.org, to see menus and register for meal kits. The registration form is in both English and Spanish.
Kansas Summer EBT benefits
Summer EBT, or SUN Bucks, from the state are also available again this year.
Families with a household income meeting the requirement for federal free or reduced-price school meals at Kansas schools, or those who meet other eligibility criteria, can receive $120 per eligible child to help with grocery costs.
The Kansas Department for Children and Families website says participating in the program doesn’t impact immigration statuses, but Kansas Reflector reported in April that immigrant families fear submitting more documentation in the wake of President Donald Trump’s deportation efforts.
Children who use SUN Bucks are allowed to participate in other summer meal programs, according to the DCF website.
SUN Bucks one-time payments will be distributed beginning Wednesday, May 28 for those who have already submitted an application and received an approval letter.
Applications for 2025 SUN Bucks, which are available on the DCF’s self-service portal, must be submitted by 5 p.m. Aug. 29. Learn more about the program on dcf.ks.gov.
If our local journalism matters to you, please help us keep doing this work.
Don’t miss a beat … Click here to sign up for our email newsletters
Click here to learn more about our newsletters first
Maya Hodison (she/her), equity reporter, can be reached at mhodison@lawrencekstimes.com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
Latest Lawrence news:
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
