First school district in PA pilots free summer meals
For the hundreds of thousands of children in America who rely on free school meals throughout the school year, the FREE summer meals program provides much needed support. American Dairy Association North East, the United States Department of Agriculture, the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Reading School District, ReDesign Reading Community Development Corporation, Reading Housing Authority, Berks Community Health Center, Penn State Extension, Reading Health System, Reading Mayor Wally Scott, Reading High Red Knights Basketball Team and others have teamed up to bring awareness to the availability of FREE summer meals for children 18 years and under in the Reading Housing Authority’s Oakbrook neighborhood with the Berks Community Health Center, 1040 Liggett Avenue, Reading.
According to the USDA, only one in 10 children who are eligible for free summer meals actually receives meals, leaving 19 million children unserved. When school is out, families can spend up to an additional $300 a month to feed their children. Getting the word
out and ensuring that those in need are made aware of the availability of free summer meals is vitally important to the health of children and helps families stretch their food budget.
“Throughout the school year, 100 percent of our District’s students are eligible for free meals under the Community Eligibility Provision of the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act,” said Dr. Khalid N. Mumin, superintendent, Reading School District. “We are proud to announce that the Reading School District is the first school district in the state to pilot summer food service with a local health care facility, using locally grown produce. We know it’s criti-
cal to serve our children and teens healthy food, because it’s critical to their health, well-being and ultimate success in school and life.”
According to Mumin, a typical breakfast served through the District’s summer meals program generally includes low sugar whole grain cereal, whole wheat Pop Tarts or whole wheat banana muffins, with a selection of local fresh fruit on the side as well as a delicious eight-ounce serving of milk.
For lunch, children generally receive turkey and cheese on a whole grain roll, or a chicken and cheese burrito on a whole wheat tortilla, low fat yogurt and string cheese, with a side of locally grown fresh fruit and vegeta-
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Lolly Lesher, Berks County dairy farmer and member of the Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion Program, representing the American Dairy Association North East.
bles, aswell as aneight-ounce serving of nutritious milk.
“With more than 521,000 children at risk for hunger in our state, I applaud the team approach in Reading, as well as the unique pilot program with Berks Community Health Center for bridging the gap to fight hunger when school’s out so that no student goes without a meal,” said Vonda Cooke, director of the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Division of Food and Nutrition Services.
ReDesign Reading’s Local Foods System Director Lucine Sihelnik commendedan area coalition of community leaders for their outstanding support in implementing this new pilot program and expanding services throughout the region.
“This comprehensive initiative has taken the investment by key community partners to provide everything from financial support to logistics coordination and nutrition education to meal delivery, promotion, outreach, planning and more, to help us succeed in feeding our most vulnerable residents, our youth,” Sihelnik said.
It was also announced that the Berks County Summer Meal Program was offering a special rewards program enabling all children who eat at the sites, a chance to win merchandise or a grand prize of four regular season tickets to a Philadelphia Eagles game. After they get 10 stamps on their rewards card, they can enter to win.
“We know that hunger does not take a summer break, and it’s programs such as this that give children the opportunity to receive nutritionally balanced meals, including milk, which provides nine essential nutrients, throughout the summer months,” said Lolly Lesher, a Berks County dairy farmer and member of the Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion Program, an affiliate of the American Dairy Association North East. Lesher is a farmer at Way-Har Farms, in Bernville.
The summer meals program began on June 13 and runs through Aug. 5, and is available to all children ages 18 and younger, and all children with special needs ages 21 and younger. Participants are eligible to receive a free breakfast and/or lunch, with no registration or identification required. In addition to the Berks Community Health Center at Oakbrook, summer meals are offered at schools, libraries, parks, pools, public housing sites and community-based organizations. Here are a few of the Berks County sites offering summermeals within the Reading School District:
The elementary school buildings serve breakfast from 8 to 9 a.m. and lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
Secondary school buildings serve breakfast and lunch at the same times, but Monday through Friday.
The Jamestown mobile site serves lunch from 11:30 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday. The Oakbrook mobile site serves lunch from 12:30 to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday.
To find additional summer meal sites, text FOOD to 877-877, call 1-866-3486479 or visit www.fns.usda. gov/summerfoodrocks.