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Youth Services Pre-Summer Feeding Program Provides Over 16,000 Meals to Children Impacted by COVID-19 Pandemic

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Youth Services Pre-Summer Feeding Program Provides Over 16,000 Meals to Children Impacted by COVID-19 Pandemic

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Palm Beach County Youth Services Department’s Summer Food Service Program, in partnership with the Palm Beach County Library System, began pre-summer feeding at six sites throughout Palm Beach County on April 27. In addition to distribution sites in West Palm Beach, Greenacres, Belle Glade, Pahokee and South Bay, on May 12, meals distribution sites opened in Lake Worth and Boca Raton.              

Pre-summer feeding served 16,674 meals to youth and families throughout Palm Beach County and the western communities. In addition to receiving meal kits, families also received Youth Services coloring books, healthy coping skills brochures and age appropriate books provided by the Libraries.

“In a short period of time, our team was able to create a menu, work with the food vendor, and obtain waivers that allowed us to open up eight food distribution sites,” said Valerie Messineo, senior program specialist. “Youth Services and the Library staff sprang into action and distributed over 16,000 meals in only five weeks! It was a lot of work but the payoff was definitely worth it. We are looking forward to transitioning into Summer Feeding and opening more sites.”

The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) ensures that school-aged children, 18 years and under, continue to receive nutritious meals beyond the school year and during the summer months (June - August) as well as times of emergency school closures

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