The Town of Greenfield is pleased to announce it has been selected as a participant in a free “grab and go lunch” summer meals program, administered by Captain Community Human Services of Clifton Park.
Any individual 18 and under is qualified to stop by the Community Center, at 25 Wilton Rd. in Greenfield from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. The program features nutritious bagged lunches, with a daily changing menu accessible below. Meal options include items like cold pizza, fresh hoagie-style sandwiches, chicken tenders, fresh vegetables, cheese sticks and more. The program runs from July 8 until August 23.
“We know that so many Greenfield children rely on school to provide a nutritious lunch,” said Greenfield Recreation Director Jennifer Zeisler. “We are so pleased to offer an option while school is out of session.”
“Greenfield is thrilled to be a part of such an excellent program,” said Town Supervisor Kevin Veitch. “We are thankful to Captain CHS for accepting our application and we hope that we can count on our incredible residents to help us spread the word to make it a success.”
Greenfield’s Recreation Department applied to be a site and was approved after an evaluation of census and school data. The lunches are delivered by a van each morning to Town Hall by 10 a.m. and distributed from 11 until 11:30 a.m.
To view all of the sites, visit Captain’s website here. Saratoga Springs City School District is also providing meals through a food truck at Maple Avenue Middle School daily from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and Jefferson Terrace from 11:15 a.m. to noon. Campers at Greenfield’s Summer Rec program enjoy the meals at the middle school daily.
The Free Summer Meals collaboration with local sites and agencies began in 2013. At the time, 4,000 meals were served at six sites to 348 kids. In 2022, over 21,000 meals are served at 20 locations throughout Saratoga County. The program is managed by the NYS Department of Education under the direction of, and through funding from, the USDA, along with supplemental funding from our local United Way of the Greater Capital Region and No Kid Hungry.
On average, Free Summer Meals programs have the funding and reach to support just 16% of the kids in need according to No Kid Hungry, a national nonprofit focused on eliminating child hunger. According to data from Feeding America, 16,000 Saratogians are food insecure – including more than 2,000 children.
“For most New York kids, the Free and Reduced Lunch program at school and the Free Summer Meals program is where they’ll find their most secure source of food,” Captain’s Executive Director Andy Gilpin noted. “That’s why we work to ensure our program is robust, reaches the greatest number of eligible kids, and is expanded when the generosity of community donors allows.”
Please do help us spread the word.
Greenfield: Better TOGether.
