Free summer meals available for children across Gaston County 

Gaston County Schools is helping make sure children stay nourished this summer. Through the Gaston County School Nutrition Summer Feeding Program, students and families can enjoy free, healthy meals at various locations across the county — no matter where they live or go to school.

Meals served at summer enrichment sites
Children who attend one of our summer enrichment programs will receive free breakfast and lunch each day they attend.

Community meal sites begin June 2 (see chart below)
Starting Monday, June 2, meals will be served at non-school summer camps and neighborhood sites across the county. Most locations will operate Monday through Thursday, while some offer meals Monday through Friday. Note: All sites will be closed the week of June 30 – July 4 for the Independence Day holiday.

Take-home meal bundles available
In addition to on-site meals, families can pick up 4-day or 7-day take-home meal bundles to help keep their children fed throughout the week.

Meal pickup details:

• Dates: June 9 – July 31 (Closed June 30 – July 4)
• Time: 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
• Pre-registration required (limited meals available for walk-ups)
• Call to register: 704-836-9110 ext. 7
• You can sign up week-to-week or for the entire summer.

Pickup locations and dates:

Mondays

• High Shoals City Hall – 101 Thompkins St, High Shoals (June 9, 16, 23, July 7, 14, 21, 28)
• Lowell Elementary School – 1500 Power Drive, Lowell (June 9, 16, 23, July 7, 14, 21, 28)

Tuesdays

• Foundation of Life Church – 1030 Lower Dallas Rd, Dallas (June 10, 17, 24, July 8, 15, 22, 29)
• Christ Community Church – 3951 W Franklin Blvd, Bessemer City (July 8, 15, 22, 29)

Wednesdays

• Crowders Mountain Fire Department – 480 Bethany Rd, Gastonia (June 11, 18, 25, July 9, 16, 23, 30)

Thursdays

• First United Methodist Church – 601 N Pink Street, Cherryville (June 12, 19, 26, July 10, 17, 24, 31)

Who can receive meals?
All children and teens age 18 and younger are eligible for free meals, regardless of where they live or attend school.

For more information or to register for take-home meals, call the Gaston County School Nutrition Office at (704) 836-9110, ext. 7.

Click here to visit the Summer Nutrition Program website

List of meal distribution locations:

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
email:
Program.Intake@usda.gov
 

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.