LAS VEGAS, May 27, 2021 — Children who rely on free and reduced-price lunch during the school year do not need to go hungry this summer, thanks to Three Square Food Bank and its program partners. The “Meet Up and Eat Up” program will provide free, nutritious summer meals June 1 through August 6. Meet Up and Eat Up encompasses the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).
During the school year, more than 71% of Clark County School District (CCSD) students are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals, which equates to more than 222,000 children. At the peak of the pandemic, a record high of one in three children was struggling with hunger, up from one in five pre-pandemic. Currently, one in four children is experiencing hunger.
Every summer when school ends, thousands of Southern Nevada’s kids are at risk of being food insecure. Funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and administered by Nevada’s Department of Agriculture, Meet Up and Eat Up bridges the gap to prevent childhood hunger during the summer months.
“Summer break can be an uncertain time for children who rely on school for meals, which help them learn and grow,” said Three Square’s Director of Programs and Community Engagement Darwin Bosen. “Three Square and our community partners are working hard this summer to alleviate that uncertainty by giving children easy and reliable access to meals close to home.”
Meet Up and Eat Up sites offer free, nutritious meals for children 18 years of age or younger across the valley. Locations include parks and recreation centers, Boys & Girls Clubs, libraries, day camps and apartment complexes. Three Square will also provide meals to apartment complexes using refrigerated vans to reach kids near home. The menu includes 25 rotating meal varieties and sites may offer breakfast, lunch or both. Meals will be provided to all children without charge and are the same for all children regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability, and there will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service. Meals will be provided, on a first come, first served basis. With the help of volunteers and partners, Three Square will pack approximately 20,000 summer meals between Monday and Friday each week during the summer.
For a comprehensive list of locations, please visit freesummerfood.org.
About Three Square Food Bank
Three Square is Southern Nevada’s only food bank and largest hunger relief organization, serving Las Vegas and all of Clark, Lincoln, Esmeralda and Nye counties. Since opening in 2007, Three Square has provided more than 444 million pounds of food to hundreds of thousands of people in need and earned a reputation as one of the most efficient and effective food banks in the country. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Three Square immediately implemented a disaster response plan to answer sudden school and business closures, drastic declines in retail food donations, social distancing limitations on volunteer efforts, reduced on-site staff support, and the need for low-contact food distributions. Within days, Three Square had increased food distribution by 250,000 meals a week and increased the capacity of its Call Center to refer Southern Nevadans to available food resources, social services, and unemployment benefits. While Three Square’s COVID-19 relief efforts have superseded regular programs and operations for the foreseeable future, it is more committed than ever to its mission of providing wholesome food to hungry people, while passionately pursuing a hunger-free community. Three Square is a member of the Feeding America network of food banks. If you or someone you know needs food assistance, or wants to learn more about Three Square’s vision of a community where no one is hungry, please connect at threesquare.org, Facebook (@ThreeSquareFoodBank), Instagram (@threesquarelv) and Twitter (@threesquarelv).
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Three Square Food Bank, 702.644.3663
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The Firm Public Relations & Marketing, 702.739.9933
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To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form (AD-3027), found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992.
Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:
(1) Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410
(2) Fax: (202) 690-7442; or
(3) Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.