Para leer este artículo en español, haga clic aquí.
This week, Home Grown Springfield has opened its Springfield 'Summer Eats' program, providing free meals to children at local parks, schools and neighborhoods.
At least 41% of western Massachusetts is affected by food insecurity, the highest in the state, according to a 2023 study by the Greater Boston Food Bank. There are 14.7% of Springfield residents, including children, who are food insecure, according to a Food Bank of Western Massachusetts report. To combat this, Summer Eats does not require that families and children live in Springfield or attend Springfield schools to pick up free meals.
Karly Dunn, the student engagement manager for Home Grown Springfield, said the company's goal is to spread the word to the community so that any child who needs a meal can get one. Pick-up locations have expanded since last summer, totaling to 21 service sites.
“The biggest thing that we’re trying to do right now is expand access and make sure that every student and every family in Springfield, at least, knows that we’re doing what we’re doing,” Dunn said said Monday at Nathan Bill Park, one of the sites for this summer.
All meals are made from scratch – a key element in ensuring that kids are well-fed and set up for success in school, said Dunn, stressing the importance of knowing how the children’s meals are made, start to finish. This includes where the food is sourced and placing a priority on buying from local businesses. This year, the program increased its local food purchasing to 25%, a 6% increase since the 2021/2022 school year.
On Monday kids were given a turkey and cheese sandwich with carrots and ranch, pretzels and milk.
“The reason for why we do this is, our students deserve good food. They deserve to eat every day,” Dunn said.
Parents are required to come with their children to eat on-site, a change due to recent federal regulations on meal pick-ups since the COVID-19 pandemic. School meal sites will be available starting July 10. Summer Eats does not require any application or ID for its services and will continue through August 18.
“Our team is just as passionate to be making and giving out meals as they are to be here in the community, so we’re just excited to get to know more students this summer,” Dunn said.
More information on Summer Eats service sites can be found here.
