Free Lunch + Play
Where kids have fun in the sun and share a meal together! In partnership with our USDA nutrition partners, including Portland Public Schools, Centennial, David Douglas, and Centennial School Districts, Free Lunch + Play provides free lunch, drop-in games, crafts, and recreation for youth ages 18 and under. The program is held late June through mid-August, Monday through Friday from 10 am to 2 pm. Youth 18 years and under must be in person to receive meals, meals must be eaten on-site, and lunch may only be served during stated mealtimes. Dates and locations for the 2026 program will be posted in April 2026.
Free Special Events at Free Lunch + Play
Each year, Free Lunch + Play teams up with local groups and organizations to bring even more play to Free Lunch + Play sites in the areas of Arts and Culture, Literacy, Food Security, and Recreation! For more information, contact Jeremiah Sazdanoff at jeremiah.sazdanoff@portlandoreg…
Free Lunch + Play Video
Click on the video below to get a taste of the Summer Free For All's Free Lunch + Play program!
Commonly Asked Questions
Question: Who do I contact to receive translated versions of the Summer Free For All Schedule?
Answer: The Free Lunch + Play schedule is available online in late May and in print by mid-June each year. To be added to our distribution list, please email Alicia.Hammock@PortlandOregon.gov and include what languages you are interested in.
Question: How old do you have to be to get a free meal?
Answer: Free meals are given to those aged 18 and under.
Question: Can I take the free lunch and leave the Free Lunch + Play area to eat it?
Answer: Per USDA federal guidelines, Free Lunch and play meals must be eaten on-site in the designated Free Lunch and play area.
Question: Do you have to be present to receive a meal?
Answer: Yes, anyone receiving a meal must be present to receive a meal. This means they must wash and dry their hands, receive the meal in person, and eat lunch at the site.
Question: Can I pick up lunch before or after the stated mealtime for the park?
Answer: Lunches may only be distributed by staff during the designated mealtimes for the site approved by the Oregon Department of Education, and adhere to the Oregon Health Authority rules for safe food practices.
Question: Can my child take two lunches?
Answer: No, per USDA Federal guidelines, each child may receive one lunch. Sites will have a "No Thank You Table" with parts of lunches that people don't want, and youth can take what they want from that space during the mealtime service hours for the site.
Question: What happens to the extra meals if a site has extra lunches at the end of their meal service time?
Answer: In 2024, Summer Free For All Free Lunch + Play donated 7,000 extra meals to area shelters and food pantries.
Question: Why do the mealtimes for the Free Lunch + Play Program vary from park to park, and are they not all at the same time?
Answer: Free Lunch + Play partners with four school districts for the USDA Summer Meal Program. Logistically, it is impossible to deliver and serve all the meals simultaneously at over 20 sites daily. Staggered mealtimes provide families with options to attend at a time that works for their family.
Question: Can an adult buy a meal?
Answer: No.