Summer is a vulnerable time for students facing food insecurity.

To combat child hunger, the South Portland School Department is providing free breakfast and lunch for all students younger than 18 Monday through Thursday until Aug. 14. Meals are served at South Portland Middle School from 8 to 9:30 a.m. and from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. There are no sign-ups necessary. All meals must be eaten on site.

Shawn Perry, director of the school nutrition program with the school district, said that a program like this is necessary to support community access to food. The district looks at historical trends, seasonal options, student feedback, nutritional value and local options when putting together student meals.

The Locker Project, a nonprofit battling child hunger in Maine, sets up a produce table at lunch time on Tuesdays at the middle school with in-season options sourced from local farms, grocery stores and food banks. The organization uses a “whole-family model,” offering staples like rice, pasta, soup, cereal and peanut butter as well as fresh produce to feed students and their families.

In Maine, all students have access to free school lunch, which is a key source of nutrition for many students. But in the summer, when students are not in school every day, it can be harder to get those much-needed calories.

According to Kathryn Sargent, executive director of the Locker Project, more than half of the students in Portland, South Portland and Westbrook are at risk of going hungry at home. Two in five children in Maine are at risk of hunger, and in Portland, one in two students are at risk, according to the Maine Department of Education.

Since the pandemic, the need for supplemental groceries and meals has continued to rise for many South Portland families, according to Sargent. Grocery prices continue to soar, and some families struggle to afford nutritional food, which is often more expensive.

In addition to providing staple goods, the Locker Project also provides options that appeal to the taste buds of new Mainers. The group partners with some farmers who are planting crops like cooking greens and amaranth, as well as produce like tomatoes and onions that are used in many different cuisines.

The Locker Project serves all South Portland schools year-round. For elementary schoolers in need, there is a bag program. Each week, they receive either a purple bag with staple goods or a green bag with produce, alternating each week. At the middle school, there is a fully stocked food pantry where students can shop. The pantry includes refrigerated goods. At the high school, the Locker Project hosts fresh food events.