ECU Health has partnered with Food Lion Feeds, Sodexo, and the ECU Health Foundation to offer free meals for children, teenagers, and individuals with disabilities through the Summer Meal Program. This initiative will provide meals in Greenville, Bethel, and Ahoskie. The selected locations were determined based on the level of need in each county, existing partnerships, and the social vulnerability index for each area.
During the school year, many students benefit from free or reduced-price meals. However, when schools are closed for the summer, these meals are no longer available, putting families in a difficult position of choosing between providing food for their next meal or paying for other essential expenses like utilities or medical care. In North Carolina, over 57% of students receive free or reduced lunch, with even higher percentages in Pitt County (66%) and Hertford County (over 90%).
Meals will be served at the designated locations until food runs out each day. In Greenville, meals will be available at English Chapel Free Will Baptist Church from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday-Friday from June 10 to Aug. 23 (closed July 22-26). In Ahoskie, meals will be served at Calvary Missionary Baptist Church from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday-Friday from June 10 to Aug. 23 (closed July 4). In Bethel, meals will be offered at Bethel Youth Activity Center from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday-Thursday from June 17 to July 17 (closed July 3-7).
Since 2021, ECU Health has been running the Summer Meal Program and provided nearly 12,000 meals to children and teenagers during the summer months. In 2023, more than 2,800 meals were served to kids in need by 51 ECU Health team members. No registration is required to access the Summer Meal Program. For more information, you can email [email protected].