Both the Meridian and Lauderdale County school districts have kicked off their summer programs offering free meals for children at select schools.

Any child age 18 and younger is eligible to participate and receive the free breakfast and lunch meals, which are being funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Eligibility requirements do not have to be met.

In the Meridian Public School District, the summer feeding program began Monday and will run through Friday, July 12, at three school sites, although the meals are open to MPSD students districtwide.

Breakfast is served from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and lunch is served from 11 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Monday-Friday at Meridian High, West Hills Elementary and Poplar Springs Elementary schools. Meals must be eaten in the facility on campus, and the child has to be present to receive the meal, according to Matt Davis, the district’s director of public relations.

Meals will be served on the TJ Harris Upper campus June 17 through June 27 in addition to the other three school sites. This is being done for MHS students who will be attending band camp at the Harris campus due to work scheduled at Ray Stadium to replace the artificial turf, Davis said.

At TJ Harris on those days, breakfast will be served from 8:30 a.m. until 8:50 a.m. and lunch from 12:15 a.m. until 12:40 p.m. Meals must be eaten on site and are not available for take out.

Meridian’s summer feeding program will not operate Wednesday, June 19, or Thursday and Friday, July 4-5.

Meanwhile, the Lauderdale County School District’s summer meals program also kicked off Monday and will provide free summer meals for anyone ages 18 and younger through June 28.

The meals program is being held at Northeast Middle School Cafeteria with breakfast being served from 7:45 a.m. until 8:45 a.m. and lunch from 10:45 a.m. until 12:45 p.m.

“We have the summer meals program at Northeast Middle School cafeteria and we will feed breakfast and lunch to individuals 18 and under,” said Katina Dixon, LCSD’s Director of Child Nutrition.

Dixon said the program is open to LCSD students districtwide, as well as students on campus for band or sports camps, church youth groups, daycares or anyone age 18 and under not attending a county school.

The meals, which are dine-in only, are delicious, full meals and are offered on site in the cafeteria, she said. No take-out meals are provided.

For more information on the summer meals programs, visit the respective schools’ websites at mpsdk12.net or lauderdale.k12.ms.us.