Recent grant funding has enabled the Boothbay Region YMCA to pilot a weekend meal service, “The Y Feeds Kids” that is open to any individual under the age of 18, members and non-members alike. The goal of the program is to relieve some of the burden on families during periods when meals aren’t already provided by a daycare, school, or after-school program.

Kids from the Boothbay region can pop in at any time on Saturdays and ask for a meal at the member desk—it must be eaten on site, but otherwise there are no questions asked. Furthermore, grant funds will be used to build the Y’s overall feeding capacity and to incorporate nutrition-oriented curriculum into current programming. Check out the new Hydroflask water bottles our Fit Kids received as part of the initiative.

In addition to Saturdays, “The Y Feeds Kids” will also offer lunch during scheduled school vacations. Monday, Dec. 23 through Tuesday, Dec. 31 bag lunches will consist of a sandwich, pretzel twists, yogurt, a cheese stick, and a fruit cup! This program is the result of a partnership with the Boothbay Region High School cafeteria manager Heidi Stevens and Director of School Nutrition Darlene French who are preparing the weekend meals and ordering pre-packaged goods.

Though it’s a sobering thought, the fact of the matter is that Maine has the highest food insecurity rate in New England and, in 2018, the Boothbay Peninsula reported that more than 50% of school-age students qualified for free school lunch. To address this statistic, numerous efforts have been made to supplement meals for local kids and families. Healthy Lincoln County, the Boothbay Region Community Resource Council, Boothbay Region Food Pantry, Veggies to Table, Twin Village Farms, area churches, and more are actively engaged with the Y and other social service organizations in battling hunger.

Executive Director Andy Hamblett said, “No family, and especially no child, should go home hungry on our watch. When the weekend hits, the school doors may be shut, but ours are wide open. This program represents the next step in a natural progression of meeting the needs of this community. I encourage all young people, whether they are experiencing food insecurity or not, to stop in and grab a nutritious meal on us.”

If you have questions about the “The Y Feed Kids” Weekend & Vacation Meals Program, please direct them to: Logahn Walker, Member Engagement director, Food Program coordinator, lwalker@brymca.org