The Garland ISD Summer Meal Program is back, with Student Nutrition Services (SNS) providing nutritious breakfasts and lunches to children across the GISD community.

GISD has expanded the Summer Meal Program this year to better serve the community. In addition to the meal sites on GISD campuses, the district has partnered with five community sites to ensure more children have access to nutritious meals. These meals are free and available to all children aged 18 and younger, regardless of their enrollment in GISD.

No meal registration is required at the designated sites, but an adult or older sibling must accompany the children. Meals served at school campuses must be eaten in the school cafeteria, and meals served at apartment complexes must be eaten on-site.

New this year, SNS and the City of Rowlett are launching a curbside grab-and-go meal program at the Rowlett Utility Customer Service Center. Meals will be provided on Wednesdays from 6-8 p.m. and Saturdays from 8-10 a.m. from June 19 through July 20. This program allows families to pick up bundled meals. Any family in the surrounding area is eligible. However, children eating lunch at specific summer meal sites should refrain from participating in the Grab-and-Go program to avoid duplicate meals.

To ensure enough meals are prepared, SNS asks that families complete an interest form before pick up. Wednesday pickups will include breakfast and lunch for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Saturday pickups will consist of Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday meals.

Parents can pick up meals without their child present, but they must prove they have a child or children of eligible age. Please be advised that parents or guardians cannot pick up meals for someone else’s child.

Parents can collect meals without their children present by providing proof of their child’s age eligibility. SNS will distribute a car tag to parents for future pickups upon verification.

Acceptable documents:

• Individual student report cards
• Student ID cards
• A Birth Certificate
• Children under five (5) not enrolled in a school district may use a birth certificate to request a meal.

Summer meal program details are available at www.garlandisd.net/summermeals.

As an early indicator of curbside pickup’s success, during the first pickup on Wednesday, June 19, SNS served 456 three-day meal packs, totaling 2,736 meals for children in the area. The department prepared meals for 550 children before the Saturday, June 22 pickup.