Beginning in 2014, Youthprise took on an essential role as a hub — coordinating, recruiting, training and supporting programs in serving snacks and meals year-round. In 2019, we supported 61 Nutrition sites across the Twin Cities and served over 284,000 meals to over 6,000 young people ages 6 – 18. The Youthprise model is specifically designed to eliminate barriers to participation where there is a great need for assistance in providing meals. Youthprise was sought out to initiate a sponsorship role in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) that would allow small to medium size youth-serving organizations to serve free meals through federal nutrition programs, thus allowing their money to be put back into program and staffing instead of food for their youth.

Our Nutrition Program is a part of our Health and Safety focus area. Our goal is to promote the health and safety of young people by meeting basic needs and holistically addressing health concerns that impact youth in our communities. When young people are out of school, they shouldn’t have to worry about where meals are coming from. Year-round meals are provided to youth at trusted locations in the community, where youth are not only encouraged to participate in programming but also have the space to provide input into their menus. The Youthprise Nutrition Program provides meals at public libraries, recreation centers, faith communities, schools, and local youth-serving nonprofits.

Summer Meals enrollment opens February. Select application “2023 Summer Meals”

Summer Meals – Apply Here!

CACFP Afterschool Meals enrollment are open from July until February.  Select application “23 – 24 After-School Meals”

After-School Meals – Apply Here!

To find open locations, download the Free Meals for Kids by Hunger Impact Partners. The app is free for Android and iPhone.

1. Download the Free Meals for Kids app to your cell phone.
2. Use the app to find the nearest site providing meals and meal packs by GPS.
3. Click on the nearby site and use the Meals Updates tab for more details.

It is updated regularly.

Join other sites across state of Minnesota in serving well-balanced and nutritious meals to the youth of Minnesota. Eligible organizations include libraries, recreation centers, schools, churches, community centers, and more! Sites must be in a school data area or census area where 50% or more of the youth served that fall within poverty levels.

You can expect:

• Easy electronic reporting
• Access to training and technical support
• Hot and cold meal options
• Directly-delivered meals
• Culturally-specific menus
• Regularly-adjustable meal quantities
• A 21-day menu cycle
• Flexible scheduling (you select the day and time of day)
• Bagged meal options for field trips
• Prepackaged meal options for libraries

For more information, please contact the Nutrition Program at nurtrition@youthprise.org.

• Donate to Youthprise and be sure to select “Nutrition Program” from the list of options. Did you know $5 will feed one kid a snack and a meal?
• Download the Summer Eats app to find a summer meal serving program near you; 
• Participate in the local census to ensure your community qualifies for federal meals;
• Reach out to a local community center to see if they qualify to serve meals;
• Ask your local policymakers to increase their support for the program; or
• Contact the Nutrition Team at nutrition@youthprise.org to learn more!

Youthprise is proud to be an equal opportunity provider. This program is supported by the Minnesota Department of Education, the United States Department of Agriculture, and other funders and partners.

Non-Discrimination Statement