All school meals are free for all students in MA this school year (2021-2022). We encourage all parents to take advantage of this offer, to save time and money, and give them peace of mind knowing that a reliable source of food is part of their child's school day
FREE MEALS FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS
summer meals
Free meals are available to ALL children and teens, ages 0-18, at hundreds of locations throughout Massachusetts during the summer months. No registration or identification is required, and there are meal sites located throughout the state. Find a site near you.
No matter what you're going through, food is a must. SNAP stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly food stamps), also known as money for groceries. This simple program is designed to provide monthly financial assistance in the form of a debit card used to purchase groceries. You will need to apply to receive SNAP. Our FoodSource Helpline counselors can help you find out if you qualify and help you apply. Call us today (it's always free) or you can apply online through DTA Connect.
FEDERAL NUTRITION PROGRAMS
WIC
The Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is a nutrition program that provides healthy foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and referrals to health care and other services, free of charge. , to all qualifying Massachusetts families. The goal of WIC is to help keep children under 5 and women who are pregnant, have recently given birth, or are breastfeeding, healthy. ALL WIC programs are providing all services by phone during the pandemic. The WIC website has up-to-date information, and people can contact local WIC programs with questions about breastfeeding, nutrition, and food shopping. WIC is available to all families, regardless of citizenship or immigration status. Check the WIC website to see how families can qualify and apply for these services online. People who get SNAP and many types of MassHealth automatically qualify for WIC, based on their income. Parents, grandparents, and foster parents can apply for benefits for children under the age of five in their care.
Visit the Mass WIC website
apply online
Check if you qualify
FEDERAL NUTRITION PROGRAMS
P-EBT
There is no application to receive P-EBT. P-EBT stands for Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfers, and it is a federal nutrition program. The program was created in response to the school closure due to COVID-19. This program is for families whose children are enrolled in a hybrid or remote class model and receive free or reduced-price school meals. The program helps pay for meals at home that replace meals eaten at school. Children ages 0-5 who live in a household receiving SNAP also began receiving P-EBT in March. If your family qualifies for P-EBT benefits, you will be notified by mail and will automatically receive these benefits. Under federal regulations, families receive varying amounts of P-EBT. Summer P-EBT benefits were issued on July 1 and August 1, 2021. No further benefits are scheduled to be issued at this time. Find the latest information on P-EBT at the link.
Food pantries provide free emergency food to individuals and families in their local communities. Check out the links to the right to find a pantry near you that can provide immediate assistance.
Greater Boston
Worcester County
westernmassachusetts
Merrimack Valley
HOME MEALS FOR SENIOR
meals on wheels
Meals On Wheels is a program that provides well-balanced meals to seniors, through home delivery or soup kitchen sites, and is run by senior nutrition agencies located throughout Massachusetts. If you need home-delivered meals, staff will make an appointment for an assessment regarding this benefit.