Free Summer Meals Available to Youth in Aurora, Elgin, East Dundee, North Aurora
The city of Aurora is, once again, partnering with Meals on the Move to provide free and nutritious boxed meals to youth ages 18 and younger.
A mobile meals route, Meals on the Move is part of Northern Illinois Food Bank’s Summer Meals Program.
The Food Bank’s van will visit sites every weekday (Monday-Friday) between 9:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. from Monday, June 3 to Friday, Aug. 9.
The free daily meal schedule is:
- 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.| Garfield Park (Lehnertz and Ohio)
- 10:45 – 11:45 a.m. | Martin Luther King Park (Farnsworth and Grand)
- 12:15 – 1:15 p.m. | McCarty Park (New York and Park Place)
- 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. | Blackhawk Park (Blackhawk and Galena)
- 3 – 4 p.m. (Monday and Wednesday ONLY) | Garfield Park
- 3– 4 p.m. (Tuesday/Thursday/Friday ONLY) | Sage Crest Apartments (Residents Only)
No registration is required, but all meals served must eaten onsite at the parks.
Monthly menus will be posted at: www.SolveHungerToday.org/MOTM.
Northern Illinois Food Bank Program
Through the Summer Meal Program, families can get access to breakfast, lunch, and snacks for their children at 160 sites across Northern Illinois. The Summer Meal Program is open to all children under the age of 18, though some site-specific requirements and restrictions may apply.
Last year alone, the program served more than 265,000 summer meals to children in need by working with more than 130 summer youth programs at parks, churches, schools, and other sites throughout the community. The Summer Meal Program is offered in partnership with the USDA’s Summer Food Service Program and administered by the Illinois State Board of Education.
In April 2018, the USDA named Northern Illinois Food Bank one of the nation’s 111 leading Summer Meal Program sponsors with a silver “Turnip the Beet” award ranking, dedicated to recognizing summer meal programs with the highest quality, nutritious and culturally-appropriate food.
According to the USDA’s website, awardees demonstrated “excellence in areas such as providing fresh fruit daily; conducting taste tests with the children (and incorporating the feedback into the menus); serving a variety of whole grains and offering nutrition education activities along with the meals.”
The Summer Meal Program runs from June to mid-August. Days and hours of individual sites vary.
Select sites participating in the Food Bank’s Summer Meal Program are listed below. These sites are open to any child under the age of 18 on a first come, first served basis.
To locate additional participating Summer Meal Program sites near you, visit www.RiseandShineIllinois.org. For questions, or if your youth program is interested in becoming a Summer Meal Program site for summer 2019, please call Jessica Willis at 630-443-6910.
Kane County 2019 Sites
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1
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Blackhawk Park (Meals on the Move) |
14 Blackhawk Street | Aurora | Lunch | M – F | 1:30 – 2:30 | 6/3/2019 | 8/9/2019 |
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2
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Cornerstone Park | 1540 Mulberry Lane | Elgin | Lunch | M – F | 11:30-12:30 | 6/3/2019 | 8/2/2019 |
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3
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Divine Providence Summer Camp | 402 Sherman Ave. | Aurora | Lunch | M – Th | 11:45 – 12:45 | 6/3/2019 | 7/11/2019 |
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4
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Dundee Library | 555 Barrington Ave. | East Dundee | Lunch | M – F | 12:00-1:00 | 6/3/2019 | 8/12/2019 |
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5
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Eastside Recreation Center |
1080 E. Chicago Street |
Elgin | Lunch | M – F | 12:00 – 1:00 | 6/3/2019 | 8/2/2019 |
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6
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First Presbyterian Church | 325 E. Downer Place | Aurora | Lunch, Snack | M – F | L: 12:00-12:30 S: 2:00-2:30 |
6/3/2019 | 6/28/2019 |
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7
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Garfield Park (Meals on the Move) |
817 Forest Ave. | Aurora |
Breakfast, Lunch
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B: M-F L: M,W | B: 9:30-10:30 L: 3:00-4:00 |
6/3/2019 | 8/9/2019 |
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8
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Hanover Township, Astor Avenue Community Center | 7431 Astor Avenue | Hanover Park | Lunch | M – F | 11:30 – 1:00 | 6/3/2019 | 8/9/2019 |
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9
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Harriet Gifford Elementary School | 240 South Clifton Ave. | Elgin | Lunch | M – F | 11:30-12:30 | 6/3/2019 | 8/2/2019 |
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10
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Holy Trinity Lutheran Church |
357 Division Street | Elgin | Lunch | M – F | 11:30 – 12:30 | 6/3/2019 | 8/13/2019 |
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11
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Hanover Township, Izaak Walton Center | 899 Jay Street | Elgin | Lunch | M – F | 11:30 – 1:00 | 6/3/2019 | 8/15/2019 |
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12
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Kiwanis Park | 259 National Street | Elgin | Lunch | M – F | 11:30-12:30 | 6/3/2019 | 8/2/2019 |
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13
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Laurel Hill Elementary School | 1750 Laurel Ave. | Hanover Park | Snack | T, Th | 12:30 – 2:00 | 6/4/2019 | 8/1/2019 |
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14
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McCarty Park (Meals on the Move) | 350 East Galena Blvd. | Aurora | Lunch | M – F | 12:15-1:15 | 6/3/2019 | 8/9/2019 |
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15
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Messenger Public Library of North Aurora |
113 Oak Street | North Aurora | Lunch | M,W,F | 11:30 – 12:45 | 6/3/2019 | 8/9/2019 |
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16
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MLK Park (Meals on the Move) |
42 N. Farnsworth Ave. | Aurora | Lunch | M – F | 10:45-11:45 | 6/3/2019 | 8/9/2019 |
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17
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Oakhill Elementary School | 502 S. Oltendorf Rd. | Streamwood | Snack | M | 12:30 – 2:00 | 6/3/2019 | 7/29/2019 |
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18
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Sage Crest Apartments (Meals on the Move) |
827 N. Lake Street | Aurora | Lunch | T, Th, F | 3:00 – 4:00 | 6/3/2019 | 8/9/2019 |
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19
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Simply Destinee Youth Program | 131 W. Illinois Ave. | Aurora | Lunch, Snack | M,W,F | S: 6:45-7:15 | 6/10/2019 | 8/16/2019 |
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20
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Smart Club (River of Life) | 1001 Aurora Ave. | Aurora |
Breakfast, Lunch
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M – F | B: 9:00-10:00 L: 11:30-12:30 |
6/10/2019 | 8/13/2019 |
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21
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St. Francis Park | 277 Jefferson Ave. | Elgin | Lunch | M – F | 11:30-12:30 | 6/3/2019 | 8/2/2019 |
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22
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St. Paul Lutheran Church and School | 85 S. Constitution Dr. | Aurora |
Breakfast, Lunch
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M – F | B: 7:45-8:45 L: 11:00-12:00 |
6/3/2019 | 7/26/2019 |
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23
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Wing Park | 1010 Wing Street | Elgin | Lunch | M – F | 11:30-12:30 | 6/3/2019 | 8/2/2019 |
SOURCE: city of Aurora news release, Northern Illinois Food Bank website
