Council Increases Investment in Summer Feeding Program
The Columbus
City Council wants to expand its investment in a critical program that ensures
local school children have nutritious meals during the summer break. Councilmember Jaiza Page, chair of the
Recreation and Parks Committee, was joined by leaders of the Columbus City
Schools, Children’s Hunger Alliance (CHA) and the Recreation and Parks
Department, to announce that City Council will soon be considering legislation that
will spend an additional $50,000 for the Summer Feeding Program. The money will allow Recreation and Parks to
expand to four more schools and serve up to 200 additional children. In partnership with the City of Columbus, CHA
will provide additional unique programming experiences at each location.
“We need to make sure that every
child who is eligible for this program takes advantage of this opportunity to
have access to healthy meals during the summer months,” said Councilmember
Page. “Too many families are not aware
of this program that bridges the gap during the break in the academic calendar
and ultimately helps our children become strong and healthy adults.”
According to Mary Lynn Foster,
President and CEO of CHA, “There are
over 100,000 children in Franklin County who qualify for free and reduced price
meals during the school year and over 76% participate in the school lunch program. However, only a mere 14% of these children
participate in a summer meal program and that is why we are so pleased to
collaborate with the Columbus City Council, Columbus Recreation and Parks, and
with Columbus City Schools to bring together healthy meals and programming for
our children right here in Franklin County.”
For more
information the summer feeding program, contact Kay Snyder with Columbus
Recreation and Parks at 645-3642 or Erin Flynn, CHA’s Senior Vice President of
Development, 643-7700.
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