The School District of Manatee County’s Food and Nutrition Services Department will provide children free lunch and breakfast for the next day during the mandated school closures, from Monday, March 30 through Wednesday, April 15, 2020. The free meals will be offered to kids, 18 or younger, regardless of income. Grab n’ Go meals, will be served and children will be provided lunch for the day they pick up the meals as well as their breakfast for the next day, Meals will be provided at thirty school sites and five additional community sites from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Parents or guardians can drive up and receive the meals without getting out of the car. Children must be in the car to receive the meals.

In addition, two Food and Nutrition Services Mobile Feeding Buses and a Caboose will deliver lunches and breakfast for the next day to children at six stops – North Locations: Turner Chapel from 11:30 am – 12:00 pm and Palmetto Youth Center in Palmetto 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm; South Bus Locations: Southeast High School from 11:00 am – 11:30 am, Bradenton Village Apartments from 12:00 pm – 12:30 pm and the DeSoto Boys and Girls Club from 1:00 pm – 1:30 pm and  Caboose Locations: Manatee Mobile Home Park from 11:30 am – 12:00 pm and City Stop in downtown Bradenton from 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm; rain or shine.

This program is designed to ensure that children have access to nutrition during the time when school lunches and breakfasts are not available. This service is not based on income status, and all children in Manatee County who are 18 and younger will be able to participate. 

This Food Service Program is part of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Summer Food Service Program. Funding for this program comes from meal reimbursements received from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.  Manatee County School District General Funds are not used for this program.

Click for a complete list of school and community sites.