As part of its Childhood Hunger Initiative and to help alleviate summer childhood hunger, Harvesters—The Community Food Network is offering its summer feeding program – Kids Cafe – at more than 80 sites this summer.
Working with the USDA and the states of Kansas and Missouri, Harvesters’ Kids Cafe offers free summer meals. The summer theme, “Meet and Eat,” welcomes all children and teens ages 18 and younger to come and meet up with their friends and enjoy a healthy meal. Many sites provide activities as well. Working with community partners, Harvesters serves meals at schools, libraries, parks, pools, community centers and churches throughout its 26-county service area.
All summer sites accept walk-ins and do not require pre-registration. Many sites will offer meals between June 1 and Aug. 12.
“Of the nearly 383,000 people who turn to Harvesters for emergency food assistance, nearly 20 percent of them are children,” said Valerie Nicolson-Watson, president and chief executive officer of Harvesters. “Through our childhood hunger programs like Kids Cafe, we are reaching out specifically to those children in need in our community. Kids should not have to worry about where their next meal is coming from.”
Kids Cafe utilizes the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). CACFP and SFSP are federally funded programs through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and are administered by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Bureau of Community Food and Nutrition Assistance in Missouri (http://health.mo.gov/living/wellness/nutrition/foodprograms/sfsp/index.php) and the Kansas Department of Education, Child Nutrition and Wellness in Kansas (www.kn-eat.org).
To find additional summer feeding sites, visit the Kansas State Department of Education, Child Nutrition & Wellness at www.kn-eat.org, or the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services at
http://health.mo.gov/living/wellness/nutrition/foodprograms/sfsp/index.php.
A full list of Kids Cafe sites can be found on Harvesters’ website at https://www.harvesters.org/Get-Help/Service-Locator.
The Kids Cafe sites in Kansas City, Kan.:
• Bethel Neighborhood Center, 14 S. 7th St. – Kids Cafe begins June 6 and ends Aug. 4. Meals will be served Monday through Thursday from 12 to 12:30 p.m. and from 4 to 4:30 p.m.
• Turner Rec Community Center, 831 S. 55 St. – Kids Cafe began June 1 and ends Aug. 12. Meals will be served Monday through Friday from 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. and from 3:30 to 4 p.m.
• John F. Kennedy Elementary, 2600 N. 72nd – Kids Cafe begins June 6 and ends July 28. Meals will be served Monday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
• Grandview Park Presbyterian, 1613 Wilson Blvd. – Kids Cafe begins June 13 and ends July 18. Meals will be served Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. and from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
• Rainbow Mennonite Church, 1444 Southwest Blvd. – Kids Cafe begins June 20 and ends July 29. Meals will be served Monday through Friday from 8 to 8:30 a.m. and from 12 to 1 p.m.
• Oak Ridge Youth Development Center, 9301 Parallel Parkway – Kids Cafe begins June 13 and ends July 22; meals will be served Monday through Friday from 8 to 8:30 a.m. and from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
• Waterway Park, 708 Waterway Drive – Kids Cafe begins July 2 and ends Aug. 11. Meals will be served on Thursdays from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
• Emerson Park, 2717 Strong Ave. – Kids Cafe began June 1 and ends Aug. 11. Meals will be served on Tuesdays from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.