. @Shortydaprince hangs out with kids at Kennedy Rec Center to promote the DC Free Summer Meals Program!! pic.twitter.com/NvppfLntEg
— OSSE (@OSSEDC) July 31, 2014Sherwood Rec Campers enjoying the festivities at the #MuralsDC kickoff @RumseyPool pic.twitter.com/76OjzD0418
— DCParksAndRecreation (@DCDPR) July 31, 2014
That's right. Free lunch for all kids in DC. Shocked? Surprised? Don't be. DC has served free meals on Saturdays before. The point, after all, is to make sure kids are not hungry on weekends.
DC Free Summer Meals is an important component in One City Youth as evidenced by the real estate dedicated to the program on the One City Youth website. In addition to the searchable map prepared by OCY partner DC Hunger Solutions, the site is home to outreach materials, chief among which are the flyers in Amharic, English, French, Korean, SimChi, Spanish, and Vietnamese; a short PSA; and a list of sites containing Ward and ANC info.
What are you waiting for? Help feed some kids on Saturdays and through the summer - tell them about the DC Free Summer Meals Program, refer them to the searchable map, and tell them to call 211 to find the most convenient location.
Specifically, Nardi and Marron were working on spreading the word about the new Saturday meal sites being offered at various rec centers and libraries. They visited DC public libraries, recreation centers, and spoke to youth hanging with friends outside in neighborhoods.
Both officers enjoyed learning more about the DC Free Summer Meals program and helping to spread the word in their surrounding communities. Many of the children were enthusiastic to learn that they can eat free Monday-Friday AND Saturday at select meal sites throughout the entire summer.
See the full list below for the NEW Saturday meal sites :
Here's everything you need to know:
Plus, all youth 18 and under can get a FREE LUNCH at the Anacostia library this Saturday from 1:00-2:30pm!!
Now imagine one out of those eight struggling with hunger--that's a thought that is much more difficult to face.
However, nearly 1 out of 8 households struggle with hunger, with uncertain or limited access to, or ability to buy, healthy and nutritious food in DC.
Founded by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC)in 2002 to improve food security in DC, D.C. Hunger Solutions strives to "improve the nutrition, health, economic security, and well-being of low-income District residents."
Specifically, D.C. Hunger Solutions works to:
During the summer, a focus of D.C. Hunger Solutions is the DC Free Summer Meals Program, a federal nutrition program administered locally by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education. This FABULOUS and FREE program serves all children ages 18 and younger and provides them with free food during the summer months. Children and teens can just show up at a site (i.e. DPR centers, libraries, DC Public Schools, charter schools, and houses of worship) during meal time to receive a FREE meal. Breakfast and lunch are the most common meals served although dinner is served at some sites.
Although the full time staff at D.C. Hunger Solutions may be small (currently six individuals, including three Americorps VISTAs), they can obviously accomplish a lot! To find out more, visit the D.C. Hunger Solutions website.
Be sure to check the map regularly; we're adding sites all the time.
Interested in the meals being served? Follow @OneCityYouth on Twitter for the menu.
