Syracuse children who rely on school to provide some of their meals won’t have to go hungry during the summer. The city school district and its partners are once again providing healthy meals across the city.
There are three dozen park, school, and community sites where the Syracuse City School District is offering breakfast and lunch throughout the summer. Some even have special barbeque and produce pop up days. District Food Nutrition Service Director Rachel Viens says they served more than 170,000 meals last summer. This year, they hope to serve more to struggling families.
“Food is very expensive. Folks are looking for a way to just stretch it dollar and they don't want to spend all this money at the grocery store," Viens said. "Or, maybe they run out of their EBT benefits that much faster. So we are hoping that folks will use this as an opportunity to expand their food dollars, that they will come on site and get a wholesome healthy meal for nothing.”
Two sisters and a brother were among those loading their plates with burgers, barbeque chicken, fresh fruit, and other goodies at Burnet Park.
“So you’re going to eat all that food..the chicken, the burger, the watermelon?” a reporter asked.
“Mmm hmm," the little girl replied.
“Really?” the reporter asked, looking at the heaping plate.
“She likes it," her brother chimed in.
The program is a team effort between city schools, the parks department, and the Food Bank of CNY. Parks and recreation commissioner Syeisha Byrd remembers it helped her family.
“As a child of Syracuse, I remember as a 5-year-old walking every day to Seymour School to get these meals," Byrd said. "My mom with her three children would walk us and we would sit as a family and eat together. So I'm thankful that this program still exists. And that our kids have healthy, nutritious food to eat.”
The meals are free to children 18 and under. Most sites are open weekdays through August 15th.
