by Max Davis
The Paducah Sun
June 5, 2026
Used with permission.
Paducah Public Schools began its summer food program on Thursday with the Summer Feeding Kick-Off event at Paducah Middle School.
The program provides free breakfast and lunch throughout June and July to anyone ages 0-18, according to the Paducah Public Schools website.
All students, including those from other districts, were allowed to attend Thursday’s event, eat chicken nuggets, green beans and rolls, and then receive enough breakfast and lunch food to last them through Monday.
“This is the start of summer feeding,” said Mykenzie Canter with the Paducah Public Schools Food Service Department. “We will start our mobile routes on Monday. We have 10 locations from 11 (a.m.) to 1 (p.m.), and the students can visit those locations at any time during the route times. As long as they’re zero to 18 years of age, they can have a free meal with a box and food to go with it.”
Students from other districts and counties are allowed to participate as long as they are not in other districts’ feeding programs, Canter said. She said that they see new faces using the program every time, and they hope to grow the program so they can continue to feed new people.
“We definitely see the need for the feeding of the students, and we see the need that grows more and more,” Canter said. “I guess I really didn’t realize how big of a need it was until we kind of went to an event on Tuesday and we started talking to families and they had no idea that we even did this program and that they could be eligible for even if they didn’t live in the district or go to the district so I think the need for it’s going to be even bigger than what we expected.”
Canter said meals will be available throughout the summer. Mobile feeding routes and pickup sites will operate on Mondays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., with students receiving additional meals to cover the days when sites are not operating.
In addition to the mobile routes, Canter said a daily feeding site will be available at Forest Hills. Breakfast and lunch will be served Monday through Friday beginning at 8 a.m. at the grassy area across from Dundale Road. She added that students must eat their meals on-site before leaving.
More information on pickup sites can be found by calling 270-440-5600.