The Obama administration rolled out a new finder website on Monday that will help low-income families figure out where they can get free meals this summer for children and teens.
The site for computers and smartphones – www.fns.usda.gov/summerfoodrocks – points out the nearest site. Information also will be posted in some 3,600 post offices in low-income counties.
Meanwhile, some 60 AmeriCorps VISTA associates will spread out to recruit volunteers to help support the meal program in low-income rural and tribal areas. And organizations such as the National Football League and Feeding America are working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to help raise awareness and deliver meals.
The USDA has run a summer meals program for the past 40 years. But it points out in a fact sheet that millions of people don’t take advantage of it, partly because the meals are distributed quite a distance from where they live. The goal this year is to serve 200 million meals to children and teenagers this summer, an increase of 13 million meals over last year.