Bozeman summer meal sites open June 15 for kids and teens

BOZEMAN, Mont. — The Human Resource Development (HRDC) council announced free summer meals would return to open community sites across the Gallatin Valley beginning Monday, June 15, for children and teens who lose school meals during summer break.

The organization reported meals were available at no cost for anyone 18 and younger. Families did not need to sign up, apply or show proof of income.

Kids and teens could visit any open meal site during scheduled serving times to get food through the summer, according to HRDC.

In Bozeman, HRDC said it partnered with the Bozeman Public Library and the Bozeman Library Friends and Foundation to add a meal site at the library. Free homemade lunches were set for Monday through Friday from 12-1 p.m. outside the library’s north entrance.

Additional sites serving homemade meals included HRDC’s Market Place, Story Mill Park, MSU Family Housing and the Bozeman Sports Park. Shelf-stable meal boxes from the Montana Food Bank Network were also available at Big Sky Community Food Bank, Headwaters Area Food Bank and Market Place in Bozeman every Friday.

Each shelf-stable box included two breakfasts and two lunches, HRDC confirmed. The organization said the summer meal effort helped cover the gap when school breakfast and lunch programs were not available.

The program operated with federal resources, community partnerships, volunteers and local support, according to HRDC.