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First Lady McAuliffe, Mayor Stoney kick off program to provide free summer meals to kids in need
The program will provide free, nutritious meals to anyone under the age of 18 at 80 locations across the city all summer long.
First Lady of Virginia, Dorothy McAuliffe, and Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney joined representatives from No Kid Hungry Virginia Monday at the Southside Community Center to kick off a summer meals program that will provide meals to hungry kids across central Virginia.
Organized by the Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities, the sites are a part of the Summer Food Service Program, an initiative by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to ensure low-income children continue to receive nutritious meals when school is not in session. Anyone under the age of 18 can receive free meals as part of the program.
Monday’s event included a proclamation from Governor McAuliffe declaring June 19th ‘Summer Food Service Program Day’ across the Commonwealth to highlight the importance of increasing access to nutritious meals among kids during summer months.
“Summer is the hungriest time of year for many Virginia families,” Mrs. McAuliffe said. “Luckily, there are many sites throughout the Commonwealth where kids can go to have fun with their friends and get the nutrition they need to grow and continue learning throughout the summer.”
Recent statistics show that in Virginia, less than 15 percent of kids who rely on free or reduced-price meals during the school year are getting them during the summer months when school is out of session. The City of Richmond is providing community-wide support for the program to raise awareness and increase access.
“We’re committed to creating opportunities for Richmond youth to flourish and excel when school is out for the summer,” Stoney said. “Sites are located at safe places like schools, churches and community centers across Richmond. We encourage families to find the closest site in their neighborhood.”
Families can text ‘FOOD’ or ‘COMIDA’ to 877-877 and type in a ZIP code to find the nearest summer meals sites, along with operating days and times. No application or registration is required. You can find a list of all locations you can take advantage of the program here.
