These Whatcom County summer programs offer free meals for kids
Many families in Whatcom County rely on lunches provided by school districts as a meal during the academic year, a resource that goes away in the summer — though only partially.
Several Whatcom County organizations provide free lunches to children.
One place that offers free meals to any elementary aged child is Parkview Elementary School in the Bellingham School District. Breakfast and lunch is also provided to middle and high school students at Whatcom Middle School.
Families are asked to head to the main office at either school, where they will be let into the building by staff.
“It’s an important service we are able to provide during the school year, and we don’t want that to stop just because it is summer,” Food Supervisor Angelique Nelson told The Bellingham Herald in an interview.
Another location offering this service is the Boys and Girls Club of Whatcom County, which hosts summer clubs for children but serves food to any child who shows up around breakfast or lunchtime for a meal.
“There are children out there that might have to go home and make their own dinner; they may have Top Ramen or something. It’s good that they can come here and get a good hot meal for their bellies,” Whatcom County Boys and Girls Club Nutrition Director Chris Marat said. “I really just enjoy the looks on their faces. I have even had children bring me recipes of things that they would like for me to try that they have found on YouTube and such.”
Unlike the Bellingham School District, families don’t need to sign up for any camps or programs for their children to participate in the lunch service. Parents are not allowed in the building at the Boys and Girls Club, however. Families are required to drop their children off and wait outside for them to eat their meals, according to Marat.
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines for meals require a protein, a starch and a vegetable. Sometimes a fruit is included. However, both the Bellingham School District and the Boys and Girls club try to provide a little more than the minimum required.
Marat said he likes to cook some of his own meals for the kids whenever possible, so they can try new foods like chicken Alfredo, spaghetti and meatballs, or pulled pork.
At the Bellingham School District, French toast with pork sausage is sometimes available. Staff use locally-sourced blueberries to make a sauce, according to Nelson. The full menu for the Bellingham School District summer meal program can be found online through their website.
Some students may be eligible for up to $120 for groceries each year through the Washington SUN Bucks Summer EBT Program issued through the state department of Social and Health Services. The program provides the funding to students who rely on lunches provided by the school system during the school year. Applications can be submitted through the Sun Bucks website.
There are also several food banks across Whatcom County, including the Bellingham Food Bank at 1824 Ellis St., which is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Families seeking food assistance for their children can contact the USDA National Hunger Hotline, operated by Hunger Free America, at 1-866-3-HUNGRY (1-866-348-6479) for English and 1-877-8-HAMBRE (1-877-842-6273) for Spanish.
Free meals for children can be found in Whatcom County at the following locations:
Parkview Elementary School at 3030 Cornwall Ave.
- Open Monday to Thursday from June 29 to July 23.
- Breakfast is served from 8:45 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.
- Lunch is served from 11:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
Whatcom Middle School at 810 Halleck St.
- Open Monday to Thursday from June 29 to July 23.
- Breakfast is served from 9 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
- Lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Bellingham Boys & Girls Club at 1715 Kentucky St. in Bellingham
- Open Monday to Friday from June 22 to Aug. 21.
- Only breakfast is served from 8 a.m. to 8:45 a.m.
Ferndale Boys & Girls Club at 2015 Cherry St. in Ferndale
- Open Monday through Friday from June 22 to Aug. 21.
- Breakfast is served from 8 a.m. to 8:45 a.m.
- Lunch is served from 12 p.m. to 12:45 p.m.
Central Elementary at 5610 Second Ave. in Ferndale
- Open Monday through Thursday from June 22 to July 9.
- Breakfast is served from 8:20 a.m. to 8:50 a.m.
- Lunch is served from 11:20 a.m. to 11:50 a.m.
Nooksack Valley High School at 3326 E. Badger Rd. in Everson
- Open Monday through Thursday from July 27 to Aug. 13.
- Breakfast is served from 8:50 a.m. to 9:05 a.m.
- Lunch is served from 11:40 a.m. to 11:55 a.m.
This story was originally published July 9, 2026 at 2:35 PM.
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