YWCA’s Summer Food Program starting

VW independent/submitted information

So many Van Wert County residents are struggling to meet basic needs and facing hunger on a daily basis.  Children are especially vulnerable. For the past 23 years, the YWCA of Van Wert County has been feeding children through the Summer Food Program to ensure no child in the area goes hungry. Last summer, the YWCA served more than 20,000 free meals to hungry children.

This summer’s program will begin this coming Monday, June 4, and run through August 3. Meal times are open to any child under the age of 18 and no registration is required. Breakfast will be served every weekday (except July 4) from 7:45 until 9 a.m. and lunch service is from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The recreation program requires a registration form be completed and is limited to children ages 4-15. The fun programming has expanded this summer and the pick-up times have been changed on Tuesday and Thursday to accommodate even more excitement.

This summer, additional staff will be hired to divide the largest group of children (ages 10-15) into two separate groups. Program hours have also been extended until 4 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays so all participants can learn to swim through the program’s new partnership with the YMCA. Pool time and instruction is being provided for free by the YMCA, but Summer Food Program usage has to be scheduled in the afternoon. Every Tuesday and Thursday participants should bring swimming necessities and plan to stay until 4 that afternoon so they can visit the YMCA facilities for more opportunities to learn and have fun.

In addition to feeding hungry children, the YWCA staff works hard to feed the minds and imaginations of the children it serves by providing educational programming and enriching experiences to help the children learn to think critically and creatively and to have fun.

The Youth Enrichment Programs require a large financial investment in order to provide quality programming to the children served. The program is partially funded by the local United Way organization, and with the support of other generous donors, including Van Wert City Schools (buses), children have been able to take field trips to various locations, along with participating in other fun activities.

These special programming events offer new experiences for the children. The additional fun activities also increase participation, so, consequently, more children are fed and the goal of nourishing bodies and minds is fulfilled. This summer, children can look forward to multiple field trips, including bowling, to Camp Clay, Brumback Library, and many other activities.

Participation in the Summer Food Service Program through the Ohio Department of Education & U.S. Department of Agriculture has allowed the YWCA to offer several other programs to participants in the recent past and this summer is no different. Both the Mobile Farmers Market and the Summer Weekend Meals programs will be returning for 2018.

The Mobile Farmers Market for Families with Children provides fresh produce and popular protein items to families with children participating in the YWCA Summer Food Program. Items will be distributed in the front parking lot of the YWCA on Wednesdays 12:30-1:15 p.m., starting June 6. All qualifying families (a form is required) can plan to pick up produce and (new this summer) cold protein items on Wednesdays during regular pick-up. All remaining Farmers Market items will be given to the Salvation Army on North Cherry Street for distribution.

The Summer Weekend Meals are provided by Ohio Governor John R. Kasich’s Office, the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, the Ohio Association of Foodbanks, and the Ohio Department of Education.  Bags containing two breakfast meals, four lunch/dinner meals and two white milks will be sent home with qualifying children (form required) every Friday starting the week of June 15.

For many of the participants, the only food they eat is provided by the free breakfast and lunch program at school and the programs at the YWCA. All children are eligible to participate in the YWCA programs regardless of income level. The goal of the YWCA Youth Enrichment Program is to nourish the bodies and minds of children by providing them with nutrient rich meals that will support their physical growth and interactive activities that will improve their education.

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, religious creed, disability, age, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (for example, Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, and other services), should contact the agency (state or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at 800.877.8339.  Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: How to File a Complaint, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call 866.632.9992. Submit completed forms or letters to USDA by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assisant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410; by fax to 202.690.7442, or by email to program.intake@usda.gov.

The YWCA is partially funded by the Van Wert County Foundation and is a United Way agency, as well as an equal opportunity provider.