The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank's Free Summer Meal Program Will Provide Daily Nutritious Meals to an Average of 3,500 Kids Facing Hunger in LA County

News provided by

May 31, 2019, 05:00 ET

LOS ANGELES, May 31, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- On June 3, 2019, the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank will launch its 14^th annual free Summer Meal Program. The program will run until students return to school, providing a nutritious midday meal to children who would normally receive a school lunch.

This year, the Summer Meal Program, which has nearly doubled in size over the past three years due to increasing need, will serve more than 3,000 meals a day at more than 50 distribution sites, including Boys and Girls Clubs, summer schools, community centers, the Salvation Army and some libraries. This includes the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), a federally funded nutrition program for children facing hunger during the summer months.

The Food Bank's Child Nutrition program provides well-balanced meals and food kits for children facing hunger all year long. Access to healthy food helps prevent nutritional deficiencies that could turn into lifelong health problems such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes. It also establishes healthy eating habits, and provides the nutrition needed to concentrate and perform well in school. Early access to healthy meals supports strong educational development, which in turn sets kids up for a successful future full of opportunity and promise.

To learn more about how your child can receive free, nutritious lunches this summer, including details about open and closed distribution sites, service times, income requirements and types of meals offered, please visit LAFoodBank.org/summerlunch.

"Open" sites provide meals to all children, without any eligibility documentation, who are 18 years of age and younger. "Restricted Open" sites are open to all children on a first come, first served basis and may restrict access due to space, security, safety or control. Registration is required at "Closed Enrolled" sites.

In accordance with federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, the Food Bank is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

About Los Angeles Regional Food Bank:

The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank has been fighting hunger in Los Angeles County since 1973 and has distributed the equivalent of more than 1 billion meals across our community. The Food Bank provides food to more than 300,000 clients on a monthly basis and distributed 67 million pounds of food in 2018 to children, seniors, working families, veterans, and other neighbors in need. To support the vision that no one goes hungry in Los Angeles, food and products are distributed through a network of more than 600 partner agencies directly to children through our Children's Backpack and Summer Lunch programs, to approximately 29,000 seniors each month through our Senior Nutrition program, and to working families and college students through our Mobile Food Pantry. The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank is a 4-star rated charity by Charity Navigator. For more information, visit LAFoodBank.org.

Vendor # V900-00 / CNIPS ID # 04093

Media Contact:

David May
Director of Marketing & Communications
323.234.3030 ext. 134
[email protected]

SOURCE Los Angeles Regional Food Bank