Free Summer Meals for Cape Children to Start Saturday

HYANNIS – Cape Cod students who receive free or reduced lunch during the school year will be able to get free meals throughout the summer beginning Saturday.

The Summer Food Service Program ensures that low-income children continue to receive a nutritious breakfast and lunch when school is not in session during the summer months.

“Our goal is to try to bridge that gap [during] the summer for the kids who qualify for free or reduced lunch during the school year,” said Taylaur Pasquale the Food Service Coordinator for the YMCA Cape Cod, one of the program’s four sponsors across the region. “They’re used to getting the free meals at school and then the summer comes and there’s nothing.”

Children receive full meals comprised of all five food groups, including whole grain, dairy, meats and protein, and fruits and vegetables.

There program is offered at five open sites where families can walk in and receive a free meal without having to meet free or reduced income requirements.

“That’s actually a really great aspect of the program because it helps reduce the stigma behind receiving free meals,” Pasquale said. “Everyone is coming. Everybody is enjoying the activity that’s being provided and it’s not just come and get a free meal. It doesn’t seem like a hand out.”

Open sites are located at A Baby Center in Hyannis for lunch from 11 a.m. to noon; Cape Cod Family Resource Center in Hyannis for lunch from noon to 1:30 p.m.; Cromwell Court Apartment Complex in Hyannis for breakfast from 8:15 a.m. to 9 a.m. and lunch from 12:15 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.; Sturgis Library in Barnstable for lunch from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.; and East Falmouth Library for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

“We work very hard to find new sites where we can offer meals and make them more accessible to the kids and make it an overall nice program,” Pasquale said.

Several other sites offer meals, but require proof of income eligibility.

Enrolled site locations and times are below.

YMCA Camp Lyndon: Lunch 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

YMCA Camp 132: Breakfast 7:30 to 9:30 a.m., Lunch 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Cape Cod Collaborative Star Program: Lunch 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Cape Cod Family Support Project: Lunch 1:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Faith Assemble Kiddie Camp: Breakfast 8:15 to 9:15 a.m., Lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Hyannis West Elementary: Breakfast 9 to 9:20 a.m., Lunch 11:30 to 11:50 a.m.

Jump Start Program: Breakfast 9 to 9:20 a.m.

Total Achievement Program: Breakfast 8:45 to 10:20 a.m.

Waypoint Academy: Breakfast 8:15 to 9 a.m., Lunch 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

West Villages Elementary School: Lunch 11:00 a.m. to 1 p.m.

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