Free Lunch + Play supports families by offering nutritious meals and recreational activities during the summer recess.
Working alongside school districts, community partners, arts organizations, and hunger relief groups, PP&R coordinates Free Lunch + Play to ensure that it meets the needs in our community. During the school year, 57% of young Portlanders qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Without school lunches, summer becomes the time when nearly 50,000 Portland children face hunger daily. Free Lunch + Play offers accessible meal service and engaging activities at multiple parks throughout the city. In addition, Mobile Free Lunch + Play allows us to expand our program directly to children and families at apartment complexes and parks in even more neighborhoods.
Program Partners
Free Lunch + Play is eager to collaborate with local organizations that lead engaging, hands-on activities for youth and families at various park sites across the city. Our Program Partner focus areas for summer 2023 are Arts and Culture, Literacy, Nutrition, and Recreation.
Interested in becoming a Free Lunch + Play Program Partner for summer 2023? Please read below for more information:
- Program Partners must align with the City of Portland's core values of Anti-Racism and Equity and share in our mission of providing inclusive programming that celebrates and reflects the diversity of Portland.
- All activities must be interactive, play-based, and inclusive of diverse ages, abilities, and languages. Free Lunch + Play guests should be able to be active participants in the activities being offered and not simply passive bystanders (e.g., the distribution of flyers as the sole activity is not allowed).
- Program Partner activities take place at outdoor parks in N, NE, East, and SW Portland in all weather and typically occur for 45-60 minutes while free lunches are being served.
- All Program Partner activities are considered “drop-in” and must be able to serve a wide range of visitors, from a handful of children to 100 youth and families. Program attendance can vary due to park location, weather, day of the week, time of day, etc.
- Program Partners offer their time, supplies, and programming free of charge as an in-kind donation.
- Program Partners must be self-sustainable in terms of staffing, supplies, set-up, and clean-up.
- Free Lunch + Play sites are located in neighborhoods that have 50% or more students that qualify for free and reduced lunch. To ensure the equitable distribution of programs at all sites, we may ask for flexibility with your placement throughout the city.
- Free Lunch + Play strives to be equitable and book as many talented Program Partners as possible. However, please know that we receive more submissions each year than available opportunities.
How to apply:
- Program Partner Applications are due Friday, April 14, 2023. This digital form takes approximately eight minutes to complete.
- If selected to participate, a tentative schedule will be sent to your organization by Friday,June 2, 2023.
- For questions or assistance, please contact Jeremiah Sazdanoff, Free Lunch + Play Coordinator, at jeremiah.sazdanoff@portlandoregon.gov or (503) 964-1240.