Families who rely on free or reduced-price school lunches find themselves caught short during the summer months, and this year the need is greater thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This where the YMCA of Silicon Valley steps in with its summer meal program. Running June 8-Aug. 7, the YMCA, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Summer Food Service program, is serving free, healthy lunches to youth ages 18 and younger who may not otherwise have access.
“Families are under more stress than ever before,” said the Y’s associate executive director Doreen Hassan. They often have to choose between buying food and paying rent. Our program is a stopgap measure to prevent homelessness.”
The summer meal program is operated out of YMCAs across the South Bay, including the Central YMCA in the Rose Garden area of San Jose, the Northwest YMCA in Cupertino, the Southwest Family YMCA in Saratoga, the Palo Alto YMCA and the East Palo Alto Family YMCA.
To help families who are experiencing food insecurity, the YMCA has partnered with the San Jose and Santa Clara County library systems to operate summer meal sites at nine branch libraries.
According to the YMCA of Silicon Valley, the summer meal program provided more than 93,000 meals last year.
Revolution Foods—known for fresh, healthy and kid-friendly dishes—is the primary vendor.
Each meal has to have two servings of fresh fruit and vegetables, a protein, grain and milk. Due to COVID-19, new rules have been instituted: Parents don’t have to bring their children to the distribution site to get food, and lunch cannot be consumed on site. At libraries, there will be curbside pickup of meals.
Second Harvest of Silicon Valley also helps with the summer meal program.
“Our team worked with the county to develop a three-year grant for the provision of adult meals in an effort to engage more people in the summer meals program,” said Diane Hayward of Second Harvest. “The Y is an invaluable partner in our work.”
The YMCA needs volunteers to help pack lunch meal kits and other related chores. Staff assures that strict social distancing will be maintained. Monetary donations to the program are also being sought.
For more information, visit www.ymcasv.org/meals.
