Summer feeding program again to feed children for free

Aida Mallard, The Gainesville Sun
·7 min read

Summer break can be daunting for working parents when it comes to feeding their children.

With that in mind and to make sure no child goes hungry during the summer, the Alachua County Public Schools Food and Nutrition Department, again this year will provide a robust summer meals program with more than 70 feeding sites for children up to 18 years of age. School district officials say all meals must be consumed on site this summer and allergy accommodations can be made by communicating with the manager at the site.

Natalye Mulberry, a food service specialist with the Alachua County School Board Food and Nutrition Department, prepare corndogs as part of the summer meal program at Buchholz High School cafeteria on June 27, 2017. The school district will again provide free meals during the summer to children 18 and younger. [Brad McClenny/Special to The Guardian]

The summer meals program, which is funded annually be the U.S. Department of Agriculture, will provide free breakfast and lunch from June 1 through July 22 at more than 70 sites, including schools, community centers and churches in Gainesville and Alachua County.

All they have to do is show up at a feeding site during meal times. Adults wanting to eat with their children must pay for their meals $1.75 for breakfast and $3.50 for lunch.

Families on vacation in Florida this summer can really save money by taking advantage of the program around the state. To find a meal site, visit www.summerfoodflorida.org.

“We will do our best to accommodate for formula,” said Caron Rowe, food service specialist for Alachua County Public Schools, noting there is a formula shortage.

Rowe said children and teens wanting meals don't have to register at the site; they can just show up for breakfast, lunch  and/or snack at the closest meal site during feeding times.

“We make adjustments and something may change – times or the site,” said Rowe, who recommended visiting www.yourchoicefresh.com for updates.

The On Point food truck will provide meals in the SWAG area in southwest Gainesville because it is a high needs area without schools nearby, Rowe said, adding the food truck will serve the SWAG Resource Center, Hidden Oaks community and Majestic Oaks apartments.

"Families can take their children to the site that's most convenient for them," Eunice said. "They just show up during serving times. No registration required."

Eunice said it's important to get meals to the children in the summer.

"They're getting meals in school everyday during the school year," Eunice said. "We worry about when they get their meals in the summer."

To make sure infant formula is available, Eunice said parents should let the site know one day in advance by calling the Food and Nutrition Service at 352-955-7539, ext. 1564.

Rowe said parents can find the nearest meal site and menu in various ways: Online at www.summerfoodflorida.org, calling 2-1-1, texting "FoodFl" to 877-877 and by visiting www.yourchoicefresh.com website.

Angie Terrell, fine arts director at Caring and Sharing Learning School, praised the summer feeding program.

"The summer feeding program has a positive impact in the community. It ensures children will not go hungry during the summer,” said Terrell. “Middle school children can walk to a feeding site and get healthy, nourishing meals.”

School sites in Gainesville

A.Quinn Jones Center, 1108 NW Seventh Ave.: Breakfast, 8 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. Lunch, 11:30 a.m. – noon.

Bishop Middle School, 1901 NE Ninth St.: Breakfast 8:30-9 a.m. Lunch 11:15 – 11:45 a.m..

Boulware Springs Charter School, 1303 NE 23rd Ave: Lunch, 11-11:30 a.m. Lunch /Snack. 1:30 -1:40 a.m.

Boys and Girls Club – Northwest, 2700 NW 51 St,: Breakfast 9 – 9:45, Lunch Noon – 12:45 p.m.

Boys and Girls Club – Woodland Park: 9:30 – 10 a.m. Lunch 12:30 p.m. – 1 p.m.

Buchholz High School, 5510 NW 27th Ave.: Breakfast 8:15 – 9 a.m. Lunch 11:30 – Noon.

Cade Museum, 811 S. Main St.: Lunch 11-11:30 a.m.

Caring and Sharing Learning School, 1951 SE Fourth St., Breakfast 7:30 – 8:30 a.m. Lunch 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Chiles Elementary School, 2525 Schoolhouse Road: Breakfast 7:45 – 8:30 a.m. Lunch 11 – 11:45 a.m.

Clarence R, Kelly Center, 1701 NE Eighth Ave.: Breakfast 7:30 – 8 a.m. Lunch 11:30 – noon.

Early Learning Academy at Duval, 2106 NE Eighth Ave.: Breakfast 9 – 9:15 a.m. Lunch 11:45 – noon.

Eastside High School, 1201 SE 45th Terrace: Breakfast, 8:30-9 a.m.  Lunch noon – 12:30 p.m.

Eastside Recreation Center, 2841 E. University Ave.: Breakfast 8 – 8:30 a.m. Lunch, 11:30 a.m.-noon.

Fort Clarke Middle School, 9301 NW 23rd Ave. : Breakfast 8 – 8:30 a.m. Lunch noon -12:30 p.m.

Stephen Foster Elementary School, 3800 NW Sixth St.: Breakfast 7:30 – 8:30 a.m.  Lunch 11:30 – 12:30 p.m.

Gainesville Christian Community School, 3536 NW Eighth Ave: Breakfast 8 – 8:30 a.m. Lunch  11:30 – noon..

Gainesville High School, 1900 NW 13th St: Breakfast 8:30 – 9 a.m.  Lunch 11:45 – 12:15 p.m.

Girls Place, 2101 NW 39th Ave.:  Breakfast 8:30 – 9 a.m. Lunch 11:30 – noon.

Glenn Springs Elementary, 2826 NW 31st Ave.: Breakfast 7:30 – 8 a.m. Lunch 11:30 – noon.

Hidden Oak Elementary, 2100 Ft. Clarke Blvd.:  breakfast noon--12:30 p.m. Lunch noon-12:30 p.m.

Horizon Center, 2802 NE Eighth Ave.: Breakfast 9 – 9:30 a.m. Lunch 11:45 – 12:15 p.m.

Idylwild Elementary School, 1700 NE 35th Ave. Breakfast 7:30 – 8 a.m. Lunch noon-12:30 p.m.

Ignite Life Center, 404 NW 14th Ave.: Breakfast 8-8:30 a.m. Lunch 11 – 11:30 a.m.

Kanapaha Middle, 505 SW 75th St. Breakfast 8-8:30 a.m. Lunch 11 – 11:30 a.m.

Lake Forest Elementary, 4401 SE 4th Ave.: Breakfast 7:30 – 8 a.m.  Lunch 11 – 11:30 a.m.

Lanier Center, 312 NW 16th Ave.: Breakfast 8 - 8:30 a.m. Lunch 11 – 11:30 a.m.

Library Partnership, 912 NE 16th Ave. Breakfast 9:30 – 10 a.m.  Lunch 12:30 – 1 p.m.

Majestic Oaks Apartment food truck, 5800 SW 20th Ave.: Lunch 11:45 -12:15 p.m. Snack 1:50 – 2:05 p.m.

Meadowbrook Elementary School, 11525  NW 39th Ave.: Breakfast 7:30 – 8 a.m. Lunch 11 -11:30 a.m.

Metcalfe Elementary School, 1250 NE 18th Ave.: Breakfast, 8:15 – 8:45 a.m. Lunch, noon -12:30 p.m.

North Central Florida YMCA, 5201 NW 34th St: Breakfast 7 – 8:30 a.m. Lunch: 11:45 – 12:45 p.m.

Norton Elementary School, 2200 NW 45th Ave.: Breakfast 7:30 – 8 a.m. Lunch 11 -11:30 a.m.

One Room School House, 4180 NE 15th St.: Breakfast, 7:30-8:15 a.m.; Lunch, 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

Carolyn Beatrice Parker Elementary School (formerly J.J. Finley), 1912 NW Fifth Ave.: Breakfast 7:30 – 8 a.m. Lunch 11 -11:30 a.m.

Phoenix Apartments, 2550 SW 35th Place: Breakfast 7:30 -7:45 a.m. Lunch 11:30 – 11:45 a.m.

P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School, 1080 SW 11th St.: Breakfast 7:45 – 8:20 a.m. Lunch 11:52 – 12:22 p.m.

Rawlings Elementary School, 3500 NE 15th St.: Breakfast 7:30-8 a.m.; Lunch, 11-11:30 a.m.

Resilience, 1717 NE Ninth St. Breakfast 8:30 – 9:10 a.m.: Lunch 11:30 – noon.

Star Christian Academy, 908 SE Williston Road: Breakfast 8-8:30 a.m. Lunch 11 -11:30 a.m.

SWAG Family Resource Center Food Truck, 807 SW 64th Terrace: Breakfast 9:30 – 10 a.m. Lunch 12:25 – 12: 55 p.m.

T.B. McPherson Center, 1717 SE 15th St.: Breakfast 7:30 – 8 a.m. Lunch, 11:30 a.m.-noon;

Talbot Elementary School, 5701 NW 43rd St.: Breakfast 7:30 – 8 a.m. Lunch 11:30 – noon.

Terwilliger Elementary School, 301 NW 62 St.: Breakfast 7:30 – 8 a.m. Lunch 11 – 11:30 a.m.

Westside Recreation Center, 1001 NW 34th St,: Breakfast 8 – 8:30 a.m. Lunch 12-12:30 a.m.

Westwood Middle School, 3215 NW 15th Ave.: Breakfast 8:30 – 9 a.m.  Lunch 11:30 – noon.

Wiles Elementary School, 4601 SW 75th St: Breakfast 7:45 – 8:15 a.m. Lunch 11:30 - noon.

Williams Elementary School, 1245 SE Seventh Ave.: Breakfast, 7:45 – 8:15, Lunch 11:15 – 11:45 a.m.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: School district to again provide free meals for all children