Greater Cleveland Food Bank to Provide Grab & Go Meals for Children at Nearly 60 Sites This Summer
As summer approaches and the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the Greater Cleveland Food Bank is participating in the Summer Food Service Program figuring out how to effectively provide enough meals for the thousands of children and families in Northeast Ohio who need it most. There are approximately 81,000 food insecure children in our six-county service area that rely on school breakfast and lunches during the school year and are often left without enough to eat in the summer and that number is expected to increase during the pandemic.
The Greater Cleveland Food Bank, as well as other area programs, are sponsoring Summer Meals sites in Northeast Ohio to provide grab & go meals to students this summer while school is not in session. Nearly 60 sites will be operated by the Food Bank, including sites at the Cuyahoga County Public Library branches starting in July. Additionally, the Food Bank will utilize its Outreach Truck and Sprinter Van to deliver grab & go meals to underserved areas. All sites will follow safety guidelines including staff wearing masks and gloves when distributing meals as well as social distancing.
Most Summer Meals programs kicked off June 1 and runs through August 7. Through the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, nearly 60 sites will provide breakfast and lunch for children while school is not in session. The Food Bank kitchen will be providing a total of nearly 6,500 meals a day including meals not only for children, but seniors, and others in need in Northeast Oho.
A complete list of City of Cleveland sites and operating times are below. Meals will be provided to all children without charge and are the same for all children regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability, and there will be no discrimination in the course of the meal distribution. Grab & go meal times and locations may change. To find the site closest to you, please call the Food Bank’s Help Center at 216.738.7239, text “FOOD” to 877-877, or visit www.GreaterClevelandFoodBank.org/SummerMeals.