Portland's Free Lunch + Play Program Returns June 23

On Monday, June 23rd, Portland Parks & Recreation’s (PP&R) Free Lunch + Play program returns to Montavilla Park on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with free lunch from noon to 1:30 p.m. for youth 18 years or younger. For many children, school offers activities and services that extend beyond education. Some students rely on school as their only structured playtime with peers and depend on the free lunch program for a midday meal. Thanks to funds provided by the 2020 voter-approved Parks Local Option Levy, the Free Lunch + Play program offers children weekday activities without registration or cost. From June 23rd to August 22nd, kids can visit 22 parks citywide for recreational activities and a nutritious lunch.

Portland Public Schools close for summer on June 12th, and over half the city’s school-age children qualify for free or reduced-price meals during the school year, making PP&R’s Free Lunch + Play program a critical tool in keeping young people fed during the summer break. However, the free lunches are available to anyone meeting the age requirements, regardless of enrollment in a school district’s free lunch program. Adults bringing 10 or more youth to a location to receive free lunch should contact 503-729-0332 at least five business days in advance so parks staff can accommodate the group. USDA Federal guidelines require recipients to eat their meals on-site in the designated area, and youth are limited to one serving per day. Locations will have a No Thank You Table offering unwanted items from lunches that youth can take to supplement their meal during the designated lunch hours.

A swimming pool area featuring a clean, blue pool with lane markers, a slide, and surrounding grass and trees under a clear sky.

Montavilla Park at 8219 NE Glisan Street, Gateway Discovery Park at 10520 NE Halsey Street, and Lents Park at SE 92 Avenue and SE Steele Street will host Free Lunch + Play activities for Montavilla area residents. Meal times shift based on location, but Parks employees will organize games and other group activities throughout the four-hour sessions. The program staff observe the July 4th national holiday and will take the day off.

Portland Public Schools, Centennial School District, Parkrose School District, and David Douglas School District provide all the meal packs that adhere to the USDA Federal Lunch Program regulations. Youth must attend in person to receive meals and eat all the food on-site. Foodservice occurs only during stated mealtimes. For Montavilla Park, that is from noon to 1:30 p.m. At Lents Park, food is available from 11:30 a.m. through 1 p.m. Gateway Discovery Park has a shorter mealtime window of 11 to 11:45 a.m. Staff will require everyone to wash their hands before receiving food.

Free Lunch + Play is part of Portland Parks & Recreation’s (PP&R) Summer Free For All program, offering more than 40 events for all ages, including multicultural festivals, free outdoor movies, and concerts across the city. It also includes activities at PP&R outdoor pools, opening on June 20th. Six outdoor pools will host a weekly free swim session in addition to its fee-based swim lessons, open play swims, and water fitness. Montavilla’s pool offers free swim sessions on Tuesdays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. People will find a complete list of Summer Free For All’s inclusive and family-friendly activities on the PP&R website.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb