Ferndale School District is offering free meals to all children ages 18 and younger this summer through a federally funded program at Central Elementary School. The program runs from June 22 through July 9, Monday through Thursday, at 5610 2nd Avenue in Ferndale. No registration is required, and meals are open to any child regardless of school enrollment or residency.
Ferndale is a growing city in western Whatcom County, located about 10 miles north of Bellingham along the I-5 corridor. Ferndale School District serves a community that has seen significant population growth in recent years, with families drawn by lower housing costs and proximity to Bellingham's amenities. For many households in the district, the summer months can mean a gap in access to the regular school nutrition programs that children depend on during the academic year.
The Summer Food Service Program is a federally administered initiative that helps ensure children continue to have access to nutritious meals when school is not in session. Locally, districts apply to participate and are reimbursed by the federal government for the meals they serve. Ferndale's program this year will offer both breakfast and lunch during the program's run.
Meal service times at Central Elementary are as follows: Breakfast is served from 8:20 a.m. to 8:50 a.m., and lunch runs from 11:20 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. Both meals are provided free of charge to all children 18 and under, with no income verification or paperwork required to participate.
Summer food programs like this one address what researchers call the "summer hunger gap" -- the period between June and August when lower-income families absorb the full cost of feeding children who otherwise received subsidized meals at school. Studies have consistently shown that access to summer nutrition programs improves children's readiness to learn when school resumes in the fall.
Families in Ferndale and the surrounding area who want to take advantage of the program can simply show up at Central Elementary during meal hours. The program is designed to be as accessible as possible. Parents and guardians are welcome to accompany children but will not receive meals themselves under the program's guidelines.
For more information about Ferndale School District's summer programs, visit the Ferndale School District website or contact the district's nutrition services department directly. Families elsewhere in Whatcom County looking for summer meal sites can search the USDA Summer Meals Site Finder for locations near them.
