AACPS narrows summer meal sites, adds six rural grab-and-go locations and holds pricing steady

Anne Arundel County Public Schools will operate fewer open summer meal sites in 2025, add six rural grab-and-go locations that let families take meals home, and will not raise student meal prices for the 2025–26 school year, the system’s food services leaders told the Board of Education.

The changes reflect the end of pandemic-era USDA waivers that allowed broad curbside distribution and a shift back to the Summer Food Service Program model, which generally requires meals to be consumed on-site. Jody Ricci, director of Food and Nutrition Services, told the board that MSDE administers the federal program locally and that the district will open 25 closed-enrollment enrichment sites, maintain mobile routes, and add six USDA-designated rural sites where meals may be taken home.

Board members and staff said the adjustments are designed to keep the summer program compliant with federal rules while reaching students in higher-need areas. Ricci described the decision as…