Oakland kids will be able to eat for free this summer thanks to programs run by the city and the Oakland Unified School District.
City officials this week said they will be rolling out their annual Summer Food Service Program, a 40-plus-year-old effort that last year served nearly 1,800 lunches and snacks per day.
This year, after teetering on the brink of closure due to budget cuts, the program will operate from May 27 to Aug. 8.
The Summer Food Service Program was saved by a public-private partnership involving the city, the East Bay Community Foundation, Stephen and Ayesha Curry’s Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation, and the Alameda County Community Food Bank.
“Our team worked hard to find a creative solution to continue providing nutritious meals to our community’s children throughout the summer, despite severe fiscal challenges,” LaTonda Simmons, Oakland’s assistant city administrator, said in a news release.
Simmons credited City Administrator Jestin Johnson with spearheading the effort to find partners outside of the city to keep the program alive.
This year, at least 47 sites will offer meals, including 26 city-run sites, as well as facilities operated by faith-based and community organizations.
“Our team worked hard to find a creative solution to continue providing nutritious meals to our community’s children throughout the summer, despite severe fiscal challenges,”
LaTonda Simmons, assistant city administrator
Most sites will be open to all children aged 18 and younger and to adults with disabilities enrolled in a school program, but a few will offer meals only to children who are enrolled in a summer program.
The city’s share of the cost for the program is about $427,000, while the three other organizations will contribute $375,000, according to city officials.
The city’s portion will be reimbursed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, according to city officials.
Together, the city and its partners plan to distribute up to 2,150 meals per day and people won’t be required to provide identification or proof of income to access meals.
More information about the city’s program can be found on its website.
In addition to the city’s plans for summer meals, OUSD will be serving free meals at 40 summer school sites this year. All OUSD students are eligible to get food from these sites, according to OUSD spokesperson John Sasaki.
OUSD parents and students can check in with their school sites to find a summer school program near them that is distributing meals.
People can also use the CA Meals for Kids mobile app to find times and locations for summer food distributions.
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