United Way Announces Summer Meals, Launches Summer STARS

Posted on by kthebaud

Summer can bring food instability and learning loss for low-income students. This summer, United Way California Capital Region will help local kids fuel their summers with free healthy meals and fun educational activities to prevent the learning achievement gap known as “summer slide.”

Starting in June, United Way will operate 16 summer meal sites throughout the region, providing nutritious meals for children who may otherwise not have access while they are out of school. Local students will get an added boost with the Summer STARS program at select summer meal sites. Summer STARS will offer free early literacy curriculum and fitness activities designed for kids in addition to healthy meals.

On average, kids can fall behind by two to three months over the summer unless they have learning opportunities to help close the gap. By the time they reach fifth grade, this achievement gap compounds and low-income students can fall up to three years behind their peers.

“Our Square One Project is working to make sure all kids are able to graduate from high school, college or career-ready. We know that grade-level literacy is key to reaching those milestones. Our AARP Experience Corps volunteers tutor students to help them read at or above grade level. We’ve been successful in improving literacy during the school year, but summer is critical to maintaining that momentum,” said Stephanie Bray, president and CEO, United Way California Capital Region. “With Summer STARS, we’re able to nourish kids’ minds and bodies and ensure they are ready for school in the fall.”

United Way leads the Healthy Meals program throughout the school year, as well as the Summer Food Service Program. Since 2014, United Way has served 935,772 meals during the school year and summer to help kids learn, play and grow. For summer meal locations across the Sacramento region, visit YourLocalUnitedWay.org/fuel-your-summer.

Summer STARS builds upon this foundation by offering educational enrichment programming at select summer meal sites from June through August. For more information, visit YourLocalUnitedWay.org/SummerStars.

For nearly 100 years, United Way California Capital Region has brought local people together to make community change happen. Today, the nonprofit is bringing people together across Amador, El Dorado, Sacramento, Placer and Yolo counties for its Square One Project, a 20-year promise to significantly increase the number of students in our region who graduate from high school ready for success in college and beyond. United Way believes ending poverty starts in school and is working to ensure kids meet important milestones and their families receive support and resources. To learn more and make a donation, visit YourLocalUnitedWay.org.

One More Week of Free Summer Meals for Sac Area Kids Through United Way

Posted on by kthebaud

Local kids through age 18 have been enjoying free lunches this summer at locations across Sacramento County, thanks to United Way California Capital Region’s summer meals program. Several Sacramento-area sites will continue to serve free summer meals through Aug. 11:

  • Washington Square Apartments, 4018 10th Street, Sacramento
  • Glen Ellen Mutual Housing Community, 2394 Glen Ellen Circle, Sacramento
  • Mutual Housing on the Greenway, 6311 Sampson Boulevard, Sacramento
  • Mutual Housing at Lemon Hill, 6000 Lemon Hill Avenue, Sacramento
  • Fruitridge Community Collaborative, 4625 44th Street, Sacramento
  • West Sacramento Recreation Center, 2801, Jefferson Boulevard, West Sacramento
  • Arthur F. Turner Community Library, 1212 Merkley Avenue, West Sacramento (through Aug. 10)

“We already have too many kids struggling with food insecurity in our region, and that number gets even higher during summertime when kids don’t have after-school meals as an option,” said Stephanie Bray, president and CEO, United Way California Capital Region. “We’re encouraging all families to take advantage of this great opportunity to make sure kids have enough to eat this summer.”

United Way and its partners are providing summer literacy activities at the meal sites to ensure kids do not experience what Bray refers to as “summer slide.”

“Kids who don’t read during the summer can go back to school in the fall up to three grade levels behind where they were when they left for summer break,” Bray said. “So we’re working with our summer meals sites to also provide educational activities while kids are already there for food. With bellies full of healthy food, and brains full of fun learning activities, kids will return to school in the fall ready to keep learning.”

In the capital region, one in five children struggles with food insecurity. United Way’s healthy meals program increases local children’s consumption of well-balanced, nutritious meals after school and throughout the summer. Meals are made with high-quality, minimally processed ingredients that are nutrient dense, low-sodium, have minimal preservatives and no high fructose corn syrup. The focus on local produce helps expose kids to a variety of fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables. For more information about United Way’s summer meals program: www.yourlocalunitedway.org/summermeals.

United Way’s healthy meals program is part of its Square One Project, United Way California Capital Region’s 20-year promise to significantly increase the number of local students who graduate from high school ready for success in college and beyond. Through nine decades of work and research across Amador, El Dorado, Sacramento, Placer and Yolo counties, the local United Way believes ending poverty starts in school and is working to ensure kids meet important milestones to prepare for success in college or career. To learn more or make a donation: www.yourlocalunitedway.org.

United Way Offers Free Summer Meals to Sacramento Kids

Posted on by kthebaud

Local kids through age 18 can enjoy free lunches this summer at locations across Sacramento County through mid-August, thanks to United Way California Capital Region’s summer meals program. For a list of sites serving summer meals, text FOOD to 877-877, call 2-1-1 or visit www.yourlocalunitedway.org/summermeals.

“We already have too many kids struggling with food insecurity in our region, and that number gets even higher during summertime when kids don’t have after-school meals as an option,” said Stephanie Bray, president and CEO, United Way California Capital Region. “We’re encouraging all families to take advantage of this great opportunity to make sure kids have enough to eat this summer.”

United Way and its partners will be providing summer literacy activities at the meal sites to ensure kids do not experience what Bray refers to as “summer slide.”

“Kids who don’t read during the summer can go back to school in the fall up to three grade levels behind where they were when they left for summer break,” Bray said. “So we’re working with our summer meals sites to also provide educational activities while kids are already there for food. With bellies full of healthy food, and brains full of fun learning activities, kids will return to school in the fall ready to keep learning.”

In the capital region, one in five children struggles with food insecurity. United Way’s healthy meals program increases local children’s consumption of well-balanced, nutritious meals after school and throughout the summer. Meals are made with high-quality, minimally processed ingredients that are nutrient dense, low-sodium, have minimal preservatives and no high fructose corn syrup. The focus on local produce helps expose kids to a variety of fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables.

United Way’s healthy meals program is part of its Square One Project, United Way California Capital Region’s 20-year promise to significantly increase the number of local students who graduate from high school ready for success in college and beyond. Through nine decades of work and research across Amador, El Dorado, Sacramento, Placer and Yolo counties, the local United Way believes ending poverty starts in school and is working to ensure kids meet important milestones to prepare for success in college or career. To learn more or make a donation: www.yourlocalunitedway.org.

United Way Kicks Off Free Summer Meals for Kids

Posted on by kthebaud

Dozens of North Sacramento residents attended a free community celebration at Robertson Community Center on June 11 to kick off United Way’s free summer meals program for kids. The event, which was cohosted by Mutual Assistance Network, included family games and activities. Davis Joint Unified School District Nutrition Services provided barbecue to celebrate its partnership with United Way to provide free meals each weekday at various community sites so kids have enough to eat during the summer months when they are out of school. Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services distributed free produce at the event.

To find a list of sites where summer meals will be served, text FOOD or COMIDA to 877-877 or call 2-1-1.

“One in five kids in our region doesn’t get enough to eat,” said Stephanie Bray, president and CEO, United Way California Capital Region. “That’s why United Way started our Healthy Meals program so kids could have healthy, delicious meals during the school year with all kinds of fresh fruits and vegetables. But four out of five kids who participate in our Healthy Meals program miss out during the summer – that’s more than 74,000 kids. So thanks to a grant from Sierra Health Foundation, we’re working with community partners to make sure healthy eating doesn’t stop when school is out.”

Meals are made with high-quality, minimally processed ingredients that are nutrient dense, low-sodium, have minimal preservatives and no high fructose corn syrup. The focus on local produce helps expose kids to a variety of fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables. Along with expanding to serve summer meals, United Way and its partners will be providing summer literacy activities at the meal sites to ensure kids do not experience what Bray refers to as “summer slide.”

“Kids who don’t read during the summer can go back to school in the fall up to three grade levels behind where they were when they left for summer break,” Bray said. “So we’re working with our summer meals sites to also provide educational activities while kids are already there for food.”

United Way believes education is key to breaking the cycle of poverty, and a healthy body is key to learning. Bray says kids in the capital region who graduate from college are 62 percent less likely to live in poverty than those who drop out of high school. So United Way is working with partners to increase the number of students who graduate from high school prepared for success in higher education. Bray says summer meals and learning opportunities are key.

“With bellies full of healthy food, and brains full of fun learning activities, kids will return to school in the fall ready to keep learning,” Bray said.

For more than 90 years, United Way California Capital Region has brought people together to meet pressing needs in the Sacramento region and has changed the lives of hundreds of children, families and adults in Amador, El Dorado, Sacramento, Placer and Yolo counties. Now the nonprofit is focusing on ending poverty through education by helping kids meet important educational milestones from kindergarten to career.  To donate or volunteer, visit www.yourlocalunitedway.org.