By Catholic Philly staff • Posted April 21, 2023

Nutritional Development Services, an agency of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, is seeking community partners to participate in its Summer Meals Program.

This vital initiative ensures that children and youth aged 18 or younger throughout the Greater Philadelphia area have access to wholesome, nourishing meals at no cost when school is out of session.

NDS’ Summer Meals program can be operated in various settings including schools, community centers, playgrounds, camps, parks, and churches.

In addition, non-traditional settings can include WIC offices, libraries, apartment buildings, townhouse community rooms, Family Service Centers, and more.

Summer Meal sites must be willing to serve a minimum of 25 children for at least one week in the summer.

Summer Meals sites provide daily “ready-to-eat” lunch and breakfast and no preparation is required.

Meals include whole grains, low-fat milk, protein-rich foods, and a variety of fruits and vegetables. In addition, all meals follow federal guidelines for nutrition, and lunches provide children with 1/3 of their daily nutritional requirements.

To sign up for the Summer Meals Program, please call the Summer Meals Hotline at 215-895-3470 option 1.

For more information about the Summer Meals Program, please visit here.