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Thursday, July 06, 2017

Wicomico Schools Serving Summer Meals to Children in Summer Food Service Program at Seven Open Sites in Community

The Food Service Department of Wicomico County Public Schools is once again participating in the Summer Food Service Program, with funding support from the Maryland State Department of Education through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Summer food service begins Monday, June 26. Meals will be provided on all weekdays except July 4. All summer food sites will operate until Aug. 11 except Cathedral of Restoration, which will end service July 27.

With children not in school, the Summer Food Service Program operates at open sites in the community – a shelter, playgrounds, an apartment complex, and churches. The Summer Food Service Program of Wicomico Schools will have breakfast and lunch service at seven Salisbury locations this summer.

Meals are available to all children without charge. Acceptance and participation requirements for the program and all activities are the same for all regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, gender identity, disability or any other factor. There will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service.

When schools are not in session, many children do not have access to the good nutrition that school cafeterias provide during the normal school year. The Summer Food Service Program is designed specifically to fill the nutrition gap for children of low-income families when schools are not in session.

Meals are being served at the sites and times as follows:

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13 comments:

Anonymous said...

They need to spread the locations out there are kids that cant get to those locations great service

Anonymous said...

So does this deduct from the parents welfare/Food stamps balance... or are we just handing meals out for kids that might not be members of the community (ie illegals) I'm all for helping needy kids especially if their parents are scum bags and don't care about them... I just think this opens a wide door for fraud at the tax payers expence

Anonymous said...

Excuse me but look at the locations where these meals are served - there are caucasian children who also need a meal during the summer who don't live in any of those areas - are we just a little lopsided here????

Anonymous said...

6:16 AM, Are you kidding? No, this won't deduct anything from their parents food stamp balance - they will still be able to go to Fat Boys and get their crabs and shrimp.

Anonymous said...

If the guardians of the children are not feeding them properly, wouldn't this be a child negligence issue and they be held to account? We hear the ad on the radio with the kids telling us there are millions of children in the US with hunger and how we need to do something about it. Again, why not hold the one's responsible for their health and welfare - responsible?
If we heard there was at least an effort to hold them to account, more would see this as a real need and support this more fully. Instead this is just more government being family provider.

Anonymous said...

What about the hungry children East, West, North and South of Salisbury. Do they not matter at all? Why are there so many hungry children in Salisbury? I guess they expect the other children to travel to Salisbury if they are hungry. That kind of defeats the purpose. If you can spend that much on gas each day you can probably get them a meal. Who decides where the free meals will be served from? Funny the same people that will say they don't want anything to do with the church inside the halls of the school will be the first in line to get a free meal.

Anonymous said...

Joe, your readers/posters cease to amaze me with their lack of compassion toward kids. It's of no fault of their own that they might be hungry, white, black, Hispanic, Haitian- doesn't matter. If their are 2 social programs that I'm on board with 110%, its the school lunch/breakfast and WIC programs. There is very little abuse there.
With all the waste in government programs, this is a piss in the ocean in comparison.

Anonymous said...

Why is it that these programs end weeks before school starts?

JoeAlbero said...

7:32, Let me start with this. It was Salisbury News who paid off the breakfast/lunch debts for ALL 28 Wicomico County schools at Christmas. I say this because I believe we deserve the right to make the following statement.

I support those who say they are upset that it is we the taxpayers that pay for Welfare, WIC, Food Stamps etc. which includes 3 meals a day for these children.

Where is the accountability and again, why are WE paying for these free lunches when the children are not in school.

This is yet another snowflake program. Trust me, when I was a kid we could not afford three meals a day, period. As my waste line gets larger as I get older, I thank God I've been blessed with enough income to finally afford whatever and whenever meal I so choose to enjoy.

Being HUNGRY drove me to work my a$$ off, instead of standing in line for free meals. If you think my story is special, don't you ever forget the very people who grew up in the great depression.

If I needed a meal, I mowed a lawn or two in my neighborhood where I could afford something. There's plenty of elderly people and yes, especially renters in Salisbury who could use someone to mow their lawns for ten bucks.

Anonymous said...

I have to agree with 6:40. These locations are all in predominately black or Hispanic neighborhoods. There are two locations on Booth Street. It would seem that the program is racist and only for black or Hispanic or illegals. I am sure there are low-income kids in other parts of Salisbury as well. And a school age child with no parental supervision that neglects to feed their kids. That child has no transportation to the other side of town. The only way for them to get there is to walk. So it does seem to be a bit racist and lopsided.

Anonymous said...

Since I am a tax paying citizen and a property tax payer, I should be able to walk into any of these schools and have a meal for free since I am paying for this anyway. I urge all taxpayers to do this and see what they do!

Anonymous said...

You will notice the list changed from last year. Communty of Joy was elated to partner with Wicomico County last year. However, the stipulations for the free meals were not discussed entirely before it began. Kids would only be allowed one bag (Which is fine, however) food service packed the food up and discarded it as soon as the hand out period had expired. COJ offered many times to stay and pass out the remainder, or to even donate the leftovers to the area shelters. They were told NO each time. As the food is paid for by a grant it has to be served only was the grant specified. Go to the area now, and you will see kids getting lunch, playing games, doing art, reading books and volunteering time in the adjoining garden. And do you know, it is completely being funded by the Pastor and congregation at COJ. You should see these kiddos.

I volunteer. Hope to see you there.

Anonymous said...

so only children in Salisbury go hungry? This is supposed to be for Wicomico county. Isnt Hebron, Mardela, Delmar, Pittsville, Willards, Quantico, Sharptown, Fruitland, all part of Wicomico county? Do those children not have needs to? and to say there is no discrimination is laughable. Look at the areas/hoods that are being included. and the rest of the county all they get is the bill for their taxes. So tell us all again of how this is for the good of the "children" when the majority of the children of the county are NOT included. What nitwit came up with this? They need to be fired for the racist discrimination act.