The Food Bank Coalition of SLO County recently received two grants to support a summer program to help make sure county children don’t go hungry this summer.
Aimed at school-aged children who get free or reduced-cost school lunches, a total of $67,000 was granted from the Templeton-based “must! charities” and the nationwide Feeding America — $27,000 and $40,000 respectively — under the Hunger Free Summer program, that helps provide “more healthy food to kids when they need it most, when school is out for summer” to SLO County children.
“The Hunger Free Summer grants allow us to provide meals to kids, so they don’t have to worry about food, and have more time to run, play and be kids,” said Andrea Keisler, children’s programs manager at the Food Bank. “Not only is Feeding America making it possible for kids to eat free this summer, but must! charities is sponsoring free children’s farmers’ markets. We want kids to get excited about fruits and vegetables and to bring their enthusiasm and produce home to nourish the entire family.”
The program kicked off Monday, June 15 and with the help of volunteers and partnering with local school districts, county libraries, and summer programs, the Food Bank will distribute free meals to 18-younger at 28 locations. Among them:
• Boys & Girls Club of South SLO County, 1830 19th St., Oceano. Lunch from noon-12:30, Mondays-Fridays, through Aug. 7. Call 481-7339.
• Nipomo Library, 918 West Tefft St. Lunch 2:30-1:30 p.m. Tues., Wed. and Thurs., ends Aug. 7.
• Cambria Library, 1043 Main St., morning snacks, 9:30-10 a.m. W-Th-F, through July 24. Call 927-4336 .
• Oceanside Inn Community Room, 9490 Avonne Ave., San Simeon. Breakfast 8:30-9:30 a.m. M-Th, July 6-30. Call 927-4778.
• Baywood Elementary, 1330 9th St., Los Osos. M-F, 11:45-12:45, ends Aug. 7.
• Del Mar Elementary, 501 Sequoia, Morro Bay. M-F, 11:45-12:45, ends Aug. 7.
• Hawthorne Elementary, 2125 Story St., SLO. M-F, 11:45-12:45, ends Aug. 7.
• C.L. Smith Elementary, 1375 Balboa St., SLO M-F, 11:45-12:45, ends Aug. 7.
• Morro Bay Library, 625 Harbor St., T-W-Th, noon-1 p.m. ends July 23.
• SLO Library, 995 Palm St., M-T-W, through July 23.
The Food Bank expects to serve some 55,000 meals to kids over the summer and hold 28 farmer’s markets for them, too.
