Families will be able to get meals for kids throughout summer
(Fresno, CA) – Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission (Fresno EOC) has been providing healthy grab-and-go meals for kids during the pandemic at 5 locations in Fresno with the Food Express Bus. Nearly 90,000 meals were distributed since April.
Starting June 8, Fresno EOC will expand to add 33 more locations across Fresno County, where families can pick up meals. The new summer sites and the Food Express Bus will continue providing food until August 7. View all of the sites on hour Food Services page.
“It’s unacceptable that any children in our community are going hungry,” says Jon Escobar, Fresno EOC Food Services director. “We live in the ‘agricultural capital of the world,’ and we want to make sure that those youth who rely on free or reduced-price school meals continue to get fed when schools are on break or during emergency shutdowns.”
According to California Food Policy Advocates 2019 data, 111,000 kids residing in Fresno County are food insecure. When school is not in session, these children miss out on access to nutritious meals that combat hunger, food insecurity, and help prevent obesity.
Fresno EOC prepares and provides healthy meals, and they must meet strict United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and California Department of Education (CDE) nutrition guidelines. The meals are comprised of two ounces of protein, two servings of fruits/vegetables, one serving of bread, and eight ounces of milk.
Meals will be made available to all children, without any eligibility documentation, who are 18 years of age and younger. Agency does not discriminate against any person because of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. During the pandemic, meals will be available for families to grab and go. We encourage just one family member to come to pick up the meals when possible. Kids do not need to be present to receive the meals.
Fresno EOC began administering the Summer Food Service Program in 1991 with only two sites. Last year the program distributed food to 108 sites, 79 urban and 29 rural locations, for a total of 80,000 meals during the summer months. Fresno EOC has since expanded the program to provide meals during winter break and emergency school shutdowns.
USDA Program Information
Under Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, and reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.)
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, and American Sign Language) should contact the responsible State or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202)720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800)877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, which can be obtained online, at https://www.ocio.usda.gov/document/ad-3027, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; Fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; Email: program.intake@usda.gov. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.