The Cleveland County Schools (CCS) began its Summer Meal Program for kids and teens on June 2. It will continue through August 1. Free, nutritious meals are available from June through August each year when traditional schools are out.
Along with CCS, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction's NC Summer Nutrition Programs and the Summer Nutrition Programs (SUN) for Kids North Carolina present the program.
The meal kits include refrigerated items like popcorn chicken, ravioli casserole, corn dogs, cheese dippers, BBQ rib sandwiches, chicken tenders, chicken sandwiches, breadsticks, tacos, and various vegetables, fruits, and other items. Menus are available online at clevelandcountynutrition.org under the menus. The multi-day pick-up boxes include food storage and reheating instructions.
Through the program, children and teens in North Carolina, ages 18 and younger, are eligible to receive free summer meals. One meal kit per child in the home.
An online form to apply to the CCS Free Summer Meals program is posted at https://goteamccs.org/Meals2025.
According to the school system's website, you will not receive a confirmation email if you apply for the CCS program. Simply show up at one of the Cleveland County school distribution sites during the designated time to pick up your meal kits.
Meal pickup locations for Cleveland County schools include Shelby Middle School from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Burns Middle School from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and West Elementary School from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
There are two different options for food pick-up this summer:
• Monday pick-up for 3 days of food (for storage in home refrigerator)
• Thursday pick-up for 4 days of food (for storage in home refrigerator)
In addition to the Cleveland County school locations, summer meals are available at over 2,500 locations throughout North Carolina. Use the Department of Public Instruction's NC Site Finder Map at https://ncdpi.maps.arcgis.com/, to locate other summer meal sites near you.