Community Action Planning Center is gearing up for the Summer Food Service Program, a program that provides nutritious breakfasts, lunches and snacks to children during the summer months when school meals are not available. The program officially kicks-off on June 26, 10 AM – 2 PM with a special event at the Carthage Recreation Center, located on 1 Park Drive, Carthage. Legislators, media, and community members are invited to attend. Local organizations will be on hand to share information and to host activities, games and raffles. Participants include Army Community Services of Fort Drum, Cornell Cooperative Extension, WPBS-TV, Carthage Rescue Squad, Carthage Fire Department, American Red Cross, and many more. Activities include Zumba for Kids, hosted by Shirley Cook and a lacrosse clinic with Mike Lazore of the Rochester Rattlers (Major League Lacrosse team). The centerpiece of the day’s activities is, of course, a nutritious lunch for children, served between 11:30 AM and 12:30 PM!
The Summer Food Service Program is held at 21 sites in Jefferson County, of which 16 are sponsored by Community Action Planning Council and 5 are sponsored by the Watertown City School District. (Click here for complete list of summer meal sites.) Free meals, that meet federal nutrition guidelines, are provided to all children 18 years old and under (up to age 21 if disabled).
The Summer Food Service Program is funded by the US Department of Agriculture with local promotional support from the Nutrition Outreach and Education Program at Community Action Planning Council. Last summer, 20,263 meals were served to local children through the sites sponsored by Community Action Planning Council.