YMCA offering free lunches to kids in Sacramento during coronavirus school closures
The YMCA of Superior California will be offering free lunches for children at three Sacramento sites with curbside service every weekday while schools are closed to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
The meals will be prepared by the Elk Grove Unified School District, according to a YMCA news release. The YMCA was in the process of adding more sites in partnership with Sacramento City Unified School District officials.
The YMCA of Superior California serves more than 500 free lunches a day to youths through its Summer Food Program.
“Making sure kids continue to have free nutritious meals available during this crisis is another way the YMCA can continue to be of service for our community,” said Sharna Braucks, president and CEO of YMCA of Superior California, which encompasses Sacramento, Yolo County, Oroville, Gold Country and the Yuba-Sutter area.
The YMCA began handing out the lunches Monday in Sacramento. One of the sites will begin handing out lunches Tuesday. All three sites will be offering the lunches Monday through Friday.
▪ Sacramento Central YMCA: 2021 W St., noon to 12:30p.m.
▪ Tahoe Park Community Center: 5959 Eighth Ave., 11:30am to noon.
▪ Maple Neighborhood Center: 3301 37th Ave., From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
YMCA officials said a child must be present to receive a meal, in accordance with federal guidelines. These YMCA sites will operate with curbside service, so families do not have to leave their vehicles.
The first school closures in the Sacramento region because of coronavirus began more than two weeks ago. California Gov. Gavin Newsom last week said it’s expected that schools will stay closed through summer break as authorities continue to try to limit the number of people infected with COVID-19.
The YMCA of Superior California has already turned some of its fitness centers into emergency child care sites, so medical staff and first responders have somewhere for their children as they respond to an increasing number of COVID-19 cases.
For more information about the YMCA’s food program, visit ymcasuperiorcal.org/meals.
