Summer Feeding Program Kicks Off
May 26, 2010
OKLAHOMA CITY - For thousands of children, the end of school means three long months of wondering whether or not they will have enough food to eat. Fortunately, they can get a nutritious breakfast and/or lunch through the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma’s Summer Feeding program at selected sites beginning in June.
“One in five children in Oklahoma struggle with hunger,” said Rodney Bivens, executive director of the Regional Food Bank. “No child should have to worry where their next meal will come from. This program ensures that children will receive adequate nutrition during the summer months when school meals are not available.”
The Regional Food Bank will provide free summer meals at Caddo Public School, located at 600 S. McPheron, through the Summer Feeding program from June 1 to July 2. The site will be open Monday through Friday, serving breakfast from 8 to 8:30 a.m. and lunch from 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. for children 18 and under.
According to a 2009 survey of the program, 63 percent of parents said their child would not have enough to eat during the summer without the Summer Feeding.
“It helps us with our food expenses,” said a 76-year-old grandparent, who takes care of her six-year-old granddaughter. “The program is greatly needed here.”
Another parent also expressed the need for the program.
“The lunch program allows our family to get to our next paycheck,” she said. “Since my husband gets paid every other week, sometimes it’s hard to budget because groceries have become so expensive. This program is a great blessing.”
Last summer, the Regional Food Bank provided nearly 100,000 meals to 1,700 children through the Summer Feeding program, which includes the federal Summer Food Service Program, and a private Feeding Our Future program sponsored by Sodexo.
Meals will be provided to all children without charge and are the same for all children regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability, and there will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service.
To file a complaint of discrimination, write or call immediately to: USDA, ATTN: Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Washington D.C. 20250-9410, or call 800.795.3272 or 202.720.6382 (TTY). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
For more information on the program, contact Lora Williams at 580.367.2208 or Paula Clayton at pclayton@regionalfoodbank.org or 405.600.3130. To make a donation to Regional Food Bank, call 405.972.1111 or visit regionalfoodbank.org.
The Regional Food Bank also needs volunteers to help pack Summer Feeding boxes. To volunteer, contact Jamie Treadaway at 405.600.3154 or e-mail jtreadaway@regionalfoodbank.org.
The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma is a private, 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that acts as a link through which the food industry and community may donate food and other goods. The products are then distributed to nearly 700 schools and charitable feeding programs in 53 central and western Oklahoma counties. In the last fiscal year, the Food Bank distributed 28.5 million pounds of food and product to help the charitable community effectively feed people in need. Since its inception in 1980, the Food Bank has distributed more than 321 million pounds of food to feed Oklahoma’s hungry. Visit our website at www.regionalfoodbank.org.
