Summerlunch+ was founded in 2015 by Susan Wright to address the critical gap when kids are missing meals from school food programs. When the school year ends, so does reliable access to healthy meals and daily learning for many children. Summerlunch+ was created to bridge that gap, helping kids return to school with nourished bodies and engaged minds.

After launching our first pilot program in Thorncliffe Park, summerlunch+ quickly grew to serve seven sites across Toronto by 2019, providing nutritious meals and food literacy activities during the summer months.  When the pandemic arrived in 2020, the need became even greater — and so did our vision. In response, we reimagined our model to reach families directly at home. Today, summerlunch+ offers more than just food,  we offer a hands-on, family-centered learning experience that brings children and parents together to build skills that extend beyond the kitchen.

We are proud to collaborate with Toronto Metropolitan University, the Dalla Lana School of Public Health and SickKids Hospital to strengthen our programming through research, evaluation, and ongoing innovation. 

This summer, we are thrilled to serve families at 10 sites across Ontario, including Toronto, Hamilton, Orangeville, Milton and Ottawa  and for the first time, we are excited to offer a bilingual program. At summerlunch+, we remain committed to nourishing both bodies and minds and to building a future where every child has the opportunity to thrive.