While Friday marked the end of the 2022-2023 school year for school districts in Clark County, a handful of key services will continue to be available through the summer.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service maintains a summer meals program that provides healthy, free breakfasts and lunches to children up to age 18 at two dozen community locations throughout Clark County. Locations include schools, libraries and community centers.
Share Vancouver, a nonprofit organization offering meals throughout Vancouver, estimates as many as 20,000 children in Clark County can be identified as “food insecure,” meaning they don’t have regular access to meals that meet nutritional standards.
Evergreen Public Schools and Vancouver Public Schools, the region’s largest school districts, each serve a majority of low-income students. They are offering students free meals through the 2025-2026 school year through the federal Community Eligibility Provision. Earlier this year, the Washington Legislature expanded the threshold for districts and schools in the state that can offer free meals to its students, citing research that shows healthy meals at schools improves students’ brain function.
