The Catskill Chronicle

Children 18 and under eat free in July and August

LIBERTY, NY (July 3, 2014) – Summer is an exciting time for children to enjoy playtime with friends, time at summer camp, a family vacation, or afternoons at the pool. But for many children, summer can also mean hunger.  Just as learning does not end when school lets out, neither does a child’s need for good nutrition.

LIBERTY AREA

Beginning on July 7, children aged 18 and younger are eligible to receive lunch free of charge. Meals will be served to any child (who is accompanied by an adult) Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.  at the Liberty Elementary School cafeteria.

The district will also provide lunch each weekday to students enrolled in the summer enrichment program at the Liberty Middle School, and to the Town of Liberty Parks and Recreation day camp participants at Hanofee Park.

There are no income requirements or registration required to enjoy a meal. The program runs until August 15.

This is the second year that Liberty has offered the program, which is offered as a part of the Summer Food Service Program, a federal program sponsored by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service. “We are proud to bring this program back for a second year, and to expand it by adding more sites so that more kids have access,” said Liberty Superintendent Dr. William Silver. “Food insecurity is a very real problem in our community, and hopefully this program will help fill some of the nutritional gaps that some children may experience.”

If you need further information please call Dara Smith at 845-292-5400 ext. 2040.

Liberty CSD Summer Food sites:

• Liberty Elementary School Cafeteria, (open to all children)

• Liberty Middle School Cafeteria (open to Summer Enrichment Program participants only)

• Town of Liberty Parks and Recreation Summer Camp, Hanofee Park (open to campers only)

Monday through Friday

July 7 through August 15, 2014

11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Visit the National Summer Food Service Program website

Find Free Summer Meals for Children in Your Community:

Call 1-866-3-HUNGRY or 1-877-8-HAMBRE (en Espanol) and a live operator will tell you where the closest sites serving free, nutritious summer meals are located. Or visit the whyhunger.org website to locate sites using an online map.

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MONTICELLO AREA OFFERS 14 SITES

In an effort to reach more children who may go hungry during the summer months, the Monticello Central School District Food Service Summer Meal Program has more than doubled the drop off locations for breakfast and lunch this year. In addition to the seven food service sites that provide meals to any child under the age of 18, the District will also serve breakfast and lunch to two local day camp programs and the five locations that serve the District’s Summer Enrichment Programs.

Over a seven-week period, from June 30 – August 15, children under the age of 18 are eligible for the program, which is available at 14 locations. All meals must be eaten at the distribution site. New meal sites include the Bethel Town Park, Thompson Town Park YMCA Camp, Forestbugh’s Parks and Recreation Day Camp Program, and the Dillon Park Pool, among others (a complete list of locations is listed below). The Monticello Summer Meal Program is a part of the Summer Food Service Program, sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

“The success of last year’s program made the decision to expand an easy one,” explained Monticello’s Food Service Director and Professional Chef Andy Yeomans. “There is a substantial need for the summer meal program in our community, so expanding the number of open sites, where any child under the age of 18 can just show up and eat, was critical. I wish we could provide meals at more locations throughout our district.”

This year the program has grown from nine to 14 food distribution sites. Both breakfast and lunch will be served, with the exception of the Dillon Park Pool location, which will serve lunch only. For the second year, hot food will be served for lunch and include fresh roast turkey with gravy and real mashed potatoes, fresh pizza, cheese burgers and more.

“Monticello continues to expand the program with the endorsement of the Board of Education, who is fully supportive of this highly utilized service,” explains Yeomans. “This year we know we’ll be serving breakfast and lunch to at least 1,500 children and that number is expected to grow as the summer progresses. That’s over 3,400 meals per day, Monday through Friday. If there are hungry kids out there, we are going to do everything we can to help feed them.”

Summer Meal Sites:

Breakfast is served from 8:30-9:30 a.m. (no breakfast served at Dillon Park Pool)

Lunch is served from12-1 p.m. at all locations

COMMUNITY LOCATIONS/OPEN-TO-ALL (ages 18 and younger) SITES:
– Bethel Town Park (Old White Lake Turnpike, Kauneonga Lake)
– DeHoyos Park (9 Court Lane, Monticello)
– Dillon Park Pool (Dillon Rd., Monticello) – LUNCH ONLY
– Town of Forestburgh Parks and Recreation Summer Program (332 King Road, Forestburgh)
– Village of Monticello Housing Authority (76 Evergreen Drive, Monticello)
– Sleepy Hollow Housing Complex (5 Terry Lane, Monticello)
– Federation for the Homeless (9 Monticello Street, Monticello)

SUMMER/DAY CAMP PROGRAMS (CAMP PARTICIPANTS ONLY)
– Town of Mamakating Day Camp Program (operated by BGC) (Mamakating Rd., Bloomingburg)
– Town of Thompson Town Park, YMCA Summer Camp Program (179 Town Park Rd., Monticello)

MCSD CAMPUS LOCATIONS: (SUMMER ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS PARTICIPANTS ONLY)

– Conservatory at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts (597 West Shore Rd., Bethel, NY)
– Monticello High School (39 Breakey Ave., Monticello)
– Project Excel Pre-School (22 St. Johns St., Monticello)
– Robert J. Kaiser Middle School (45 Breakey Ave., Monticello)
– Rutherford Elementary School (26 Patricia Place, Monticello)
Summer meal programs are free of charge and available to children under the age of 18. All meals must be eaten at the meal site; young children must be accompanied by an adult. For more information, please call Chef Andy Yeomans at (845)-794-7700, ext. 10970.

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FALLSBURG AREA

Summer Food Kickoff Set for the Fallsburg Central School District

FALLSBURG – The Fallsburg Central School District provides free meals to children during the summer.

Any child under age 18 may come and eat. This summer, meals will be served at Morningside Park on Monday through Friday at 11:30 a.m., from July 7 through August 15.

For more information about the national Summer Food Service Program, visit http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/summer.