YMCA of Greater Dayton Offers Summer Food Program to Help Kids Get Their ‘Fill of Fun’
For Immediate Release
YMCA of Greater Dayton Offers Summer Food Program to Help Kids Get Their ‘Fill of Fun’
YMCA joins national effort to serve 5 million meals to 150,000 kids and teens, in partnership with the Walmart Foundation
[Miami Valley, 06-23-14] – In an effort to combat child hunger, the YMCA of Greater Dayton will offer its free Summer Food Program, thanks to a $10,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation. Combining food and fun, the program provides nutritious meals and snacks and fun learning enrichment activities to keep youth healthy, active and well-nourished all summer long. The program runs FROM NOW UNTIL August 15 and is open to kids ages 18 and under.
Research shows that more than 30 million children in low-income communities receive free or reduced-cost meals during the school year, but only 2.3 million of these same kids have access to free meals when school is out. To help fill summertime gap and ensure fewer children go hungry, the YMCA will serve over 1000 here in the Miami Valley. At more than 1,100 summer food program sites nationwide, the Y will strive to serve 5 million healthy meals and snacks to 150,000 kids this summer.
“At the Y, we are focused on keeping kids mentally and physically active while ensuring they have access to healthy food so they’re well-nourished and avoid the ‘summer slide’,” said Tim Helm, President/CEO, YMCA of Greater Dayton. “The YMCA’s Summer Food Program will help kids stay healthy, active and energized all summer long, ensuring they start the school year ready to achieve.”
Participants in the YMCA of Greater Dayton’s Summer Food Program will receive lunch and snack and enjoy various fun activities.
The Y is committed to nurturing the physical, mental and social-emotional development of youth and is working to ensure that all kids have access to nutritious meals, so they can continue to be healthy and thrive when out of school. The YMCA’s Summer Food Program, now in its fourth year, is part of a year-round effort to fight child hunger in partnership with the Walmart Foundation. In 2013, the Y provided a total of 7.5 million meals to children across the country through Afterschool and Summer Food Programs. In the Miami Valley, the YMCA of Greater Dayton served over 43,000 meals to 825 kids and teens in 2013.
During the school year, the YMCA will also serve healthy meals and snacks in its afterschool program to provide kids with nourishment and academic enrichment. To learn more about the YMCA of Greater Dayton’s Summer Food Program, contact the YMCA of Greater Dayton.
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About the Y
The Y is one of the nation’s leading nonprofits strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Across the U.S., 2,687 Ys engage 21 million men, women and children – regardless of age, income or background – to nurture the potential of children and teens, improve the nation’s health and well-being, and provide opportunities to give back and support neighbors. Anchored in more than 10,000 communities, the Y has the long-standing relationships and physical presence not just to promise, but to deliver, lasting personal and social change. The YMCA of Greater Dayton was established in 1870 and now offers eleven locations throughout the Miami Valley.
About Philanthropy at Walmart
Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are committed to helping people live better through philanthropic efforts. By operating globally and giving back locally, Walmart is uniquely positioned to address the needs of the communities it serves and make a significant social impact within its core areas of giving: Hunger Relief & Healthy Eating, Sustainability, Career Opportunity and Women’s Economic Empowerment. Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are leading the fight against hunger in the United States with a $2 billion commitment through 2015. Together, they have donated more than 1 billion meals to those in need across the country. To learn more about Walmart’s giving, visit foundation.walmart.com.