More than 5,000 free meals will be served in South Valley to prevent children’s hunger
Published in the June 20 – July 3, 2018 issue of Morgan Hill Life
To combat child hunger, the YMCA of Silicon Valley, the Santa Clara County Library District and Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties are partnering to provide meals at Morgan Hill Library, Gilroy Library and the SCCLD Bookmobile sponsored program at Gwinn Elementary School in San Martin.
The three meal sites are located in underserved communities where families can receive free and nutritious meals and participate in SCCLD’s Summer Reading Program.
“Too many kids in our community risk going hungry during the summer when they lose access to free and low-cost school lunch plans,” said Mary Hoshiko Haughey, senior vice president of operations for the YMCA of Silicon Valley. “The Y is proud to be working together with our partners in the community to fill that gap and make sure kids can enjoy healthy and delicious meals all summer long.”
At the three summer meal sites launched last year, free and nutritious lunches are available to youth and adults on a first-come, first-served basis.
The libraries anticipate serving more than 5,000 meals during the course of the summer and have contracted with Revolution Foods to provide healthy meals that include whole fresh foods (no preservatives) that help promote growth and development.
Second Harvest Food Bank is providing funding to make it possible to serve adults, in addition to the YMCA of Silicon Valley’s efforts to provide USDA sponsored meals for children. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 16.9 million children receive free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program during the school year. However, only 2.3 million, or about 12 percent, of these young people have access to free meals over the summer break.
Listed are this summer’s three free meal sites. Please note that the days/hours vary by location. Updates are available at www.sccl.org/summer2018
