Free summer meals offered to children

| May 31, 2017

COSHOCTON – Kno Ho Co Ashland CAC is partnering with several other organizations to provide free summer meals to children ages 18 and under. Summer of 2017 meals are set to begin on Monday, June 19 and will run through Friday, Aug. 11.

For the summer of 2017 there are four meal sites. All are open to the public, providing free lunches to any child 18 and under. Plans are for the meals to be prepared at Coshocton Head Start at South Lawn. The meals will then be delivered to the four locations.

There is no sign up or cost. Meals must be eaten at the site. The program is intended to replace school lunches for children who are not attending school during the summer months.

The Coshocton County Department of Jobs and Family Services provides assistance with the meal preparation and delivery using the WIAO Youth Program summer youth. They also provide the transportation.

Kno Ho Co Ashland CAC staff does the planning, prepares the application to the state, provides training to those staff involved, monitor the sites and collect and prepare the paperwork for the state reimbursement.

For the summer of 2017 the meal plan is Monday through Friday at the following locations and times:

  • Meadows Apartments Outreach: 823 Magnolia, 11:30 a.m. to noon meal service
  • Heritage Apartments: 1520 North St, 11:30 a.m. to noon meal service
  • Chestnut Crossing Apartments: 2350 Glenview Way, 12:30 to 1 p.m. meal service
  • Coshocton City Himebaugh Park: 310 S. Seventh St., 12:30 to 1 p.m. meal service

The Ohio Department of Education sponsors the Summer Food Service Program.

“The need for healthy meals doesn’t stop when school breaks for the summer, and the Summer Food Service Program helps provide children with nourishment to make sure summer can be a time for continued learning and fun,” said Paolo DeMaria, superintendent of public instruction. “Instead of worrying about where their next meal will come from, our students can enjoy activities like reading, sports, playing outdoors and the growing that happens during the summer months.”

In 2016, more than 3.95 million meals were served to Ohio children through the Summer Food Service Program with the help of approximately 1,900 feeding sites.

The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and administered by the Ohio Department of Education.

Category: People & Places

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