MILWAUKEE — Tuesday marks the kickoff day for the Milwaukee County Summer Meals Program, led by Hunger Task Force.
Families with kids and teens 18 and younger can grab up to three free meals a day at more than 150 sites throughout Milwaukee County.
MPS, Hunger Task Force, and several community partners plan to serve more than 400,000 meals through the program.
"When you arrive at a summer meal site there are no income eligibility requirements. No names will be required either way. No questions as to an address or contact information," said Ashley Best with the Hunger Task Force.
Meal sites are located at schools, churches, parks, residential areas, and more. They will serve as a safe a supervised place for families to play and eat. Children do have to eat on-site.
"I really just encourage families to try it out one time they're gonna realize how easy and useful this program is for their family and how much money will save them and also less worried about how they're going to feed their children the next day," Best said.
With school out for the season Quanette Poe's two kids are home more often. Poe's trips to the grocery store are more strategic lately as she balances keeping her home stocked with food while combating higher prices at the grocery story.
"It's a little stressful," Poe said. "I have to budget a lot more now, coupons...whatever I can do to make it last."
While inflation has cooled, prices at the grocery store ticked up in May. Overall, prices were up nearly 6% compared to the same time last year.
The Wisconsin Grocers Association cited factors coming out of the pandemic including challenges with the workforce and supply chain.
"It's going to take time to drive those prices back down because those companies are going to have to take those expenses out," said Brandon Scholz, president of the Wisconsin Grocers Association.
For more information and a full list of meal sites, click here.
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