Mid-Ohio Kitchen’s summer feeding program serves thousands of kids healthy meals when school is out, and this year marks the program’s 10th anniversary. From June to August, the Mid-Ohio Kitchen team prepares and distributes breakfast, lunch, and meal bundles to summer feeding sites in Franklin and Licking Counties. In recent years, Mid-Ohio Kitchen has served over 110,000 meals each summer.
The summer feeding program began in summer 2016 when kids kept asking the Mid-Ohio Kitchen team to volunteer in exchange for food. The Mid-Ohio Kitchen at Reeb (then known as Southside Roots) started serving the Southside Boys and Girls Club at Reeb that same year and later expanded the program to multiple sites. Today Mid-Ohio Kitchen delivers fresh, healthy meals to 50 summer feeding sites.
“For 10 years, Mid-Ohio Kitchen’s summer feeding program has nourished kids who usually get meals during the school year,” said Director of Prepared Foods Sha-Wana Pressley. “We’re dedicated to feeding kids year-round and have been able to expand our summer program in response to the need.”
MOFC’s “No School Means No Lunch” campaign raises funds for the summer feeding program. Children who rely on free or reduced-cost breakfast and lunch lose access to those meals when school is out. The summer feeding program ensures kids from low-income households are still getting the nutrition they need, said Sha-Wana.
Help us feed hungry kids this summer by donating at mofc.org/summer and signing up for a Mid-Ohio Kitchen volunteer shift at mofb.volunteerhub.com.
