On Monday, June 20, Mayor Anthony A. Williams, USDA representatives, and anti-hunger advocates will speak at an event highlighting the free meals available during the summer for District young people. More than 25,000 children were fed in the DC Free Summer Meals Program during 2004, a 20 percent increase over 2003. According to the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) in its summer feeding report released June 16, 2005, DC ranks #1 in feeding children in free and reduced meal eligible households. The same report shows that DC also ranks #1 in ratio of children served in the program per 100 in National School Lunch Program. For every 100 children in the regular school year National School Lunch Program, DC served 61 of them during the Free Summer Meals Program.
| WHO: |
Mayor Anthony A. Williams
Kim Perry, Director of DC Hunger Solutions Reuben Gist, Director of Advocacy, Capital Area Food Bank Yvette Jackson, Regional Administrator, Mid-Atlantic Region, US Department of Agriculture Steve Brady, President, Sodexho Foundation Richelle Friedman, Senior Program Associate, Children’s Defense Fund Students from Bruce Monroe Elementary School The USDA Power Panther Mascot |
| WHAT: |
The DC State Education Office is presenting the annual “Come to the Table” Free Summer Meals event. The DC Free Summer Meals Program serves youth age 18 and younger nutritional, good food, FREE of charge from June 22 through August 31, 2005. The Mayor will make remarks and present a proclamation. Youth will raise the DC Free Summer Meals banner and demonstrate the new USDA food pyramid.
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| WHEN: |
Monday, June 20, 2005
11 am – 12 pm |
| WHERE: |
King – Greenleaf Recreation Center
203A N Street, SW
Washington,DC 20024
(202) 645-7454
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Further information about State Education Office (SEO) programs is available on the SEO website at http://seo.dc.gov. To receive additional information about the DC Free Summer Meal Program, contact John Stokes at (202) 724-2010.