The YMCA of Centre County has begun its Summer Lunch Program now that school has let across the area.
The program is meant to give kids a free meal each week day.
“The hunger issue in Centre County is really a lot larger than what people realize…and what I mean by that is when you look at the free and reduced lunch ratios at the schools, they’re only is accurate as what the families are willing to fill the paperwork out and send it back in,” Moshannon Valley Branch Director Mel Curtis said.
The Moshannon Valley YMCA started the program in 2004 to make sure children didn’t go hungry when school was out.
Last year, there were only 13 locations, but now they’ve almost doubled that number.
“Our total sites, we’re looking at 25 different sites right now. We’re feeding children with three central kitchens….We cook at Philipsburg-Osceola, we cook at Wingate, Bald Eagle, and we also cook at Bellefonte High School,” Curtis said.
The program is open to any child 18 or younger.
Curtis said that about one in five children in Centre County don’t know where their next meal will come from.
But that’s not the worst thing for Child Care Director Kayla Bailey.
“They’re not complaining of not having food and that’s often the sad part, is that they’re just used to it. And I…thats a bad stomach feeling for a child care director when you know that your kids are just so hungry…I want these kids to have everything,” Bailey said.
Overall, Curtis said they expect to feed well over a thousand kids before the summer ends.
But the most important part to Curtis and Bailey is helping these kids.
“I’m comfortable to know that we helped somebody…and uh..we made a difference in someone’s life,” Curtis said.
The YMCA of Centre County is hoping to expand their locations to the State College area before summer ends.
LUNCH PROGRAM LOCATIONS:
(Mon-Fri, unless otherwise noted)
Bald Eagle Area, Penns Valley Area Howard Elementary School 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Emmanuel Methodist Church, Rebersburg 12:00 – 1:00 PM
Mountain Top Elementary School 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Grace United Methodist Church, Centre Hall 12:00 – 1:00 PM
Port Matilda Elementary School 12:00 – 1:00 PM
Philipsburg-Osceola Area, Wingate Elementary School 12:00 – 1:00 PM
Hope Fire Company Recreation Center 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Bellefonte Area, Moshannon Valley YMCA 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Beaver Farms Apartments 12:00 – 1:00 PM
Mt. Top Fire Company, Sandy Ridge 11:45 AM – 12:45 PM
Bellefonte Elementary School 12:00 – 1:00 PM
Osceola Mills United Methodist Church 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Governors Gate Apartments 12:00 – 1:00 PM
Philipsburg Elementary School11:30 AM – 12:30 PM (Mon-Thr only)
Pleasant Gap Elementary School 12:00 – 1:00 PM
Philipsburg-Osceola Middle School 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM (Mon-Thr only)
Moshannon Valley Wallaceton Methodist Church 11:45 AM – 12:45 PM
The Wreck Center, Houtzdale 12:00 – 1:00 PM
West Decatur Methodist Church 11:45 AM – 12:45 PM
Keystone Central Area, West Branch Area, Beech Creek Friendship Community Center & Library 12:00 – 1:00 PM
West Branch Elementary School 12:00 – 1:00 PM (Mon-Thr only)
