Welcome back to our blog series, the No Kid Hungry New York Partner Spotlight. We’ll be speaking to our partners across the state, learning what’s new in their summer meals programs, and celebrating the tremendous work they do to ensure that more kids have access to the the fuel they need to learn, grow and thrive. This week, we heard from Betsy Dickson at the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York, a Feeding America member food bank in the Capital Region.
Tell us about your community. What makes the area special?
The Regional Food Bank serves 23 counties, but our rural non-congregate model is focusing on Schoharie County and the Town of Claverack (Columbia County). Both are rural, agrarian communities full of good, hardworking people who sometimes have a hard time making ends meet due to low job opportunities, low wage/seasonal jobs, transportation expenses, heating expenses, etc. This program is here to help them: feed children and alleviate some of the worry that parents feel in making sure that their children have enough to eat.
What are some of the challenges (or barriers) that kids and families face during the summer? How has implementing more flexible summer feeding options helped to overcome this?
Transportation (Schoharie Co): By delivering weekly meals, families don’t have to arrange for transportation to get to a meal site. The meals are delivered to their doors each week.
Child care/Summer Slide (Claverack Park): By offering full day summer camp for free, parents who work outside the home don’t have to decide between leaving children at home without supervision or paying for costly childcare. Additionally, the engagement and stimulation of play children engage in while at the Park helps.
How have kids and families expressed gratitude for flexible summer feeding options such as grab-n-go meals, pick-up meals and home-delivered meals?
Children eagerly await their home delivery – often running out to our delivery vehicles to check out the contents of the boxes and talk with the delivery driver about what their favorite (and not so favorite) food in the boxes are.
What would you say to other program leaders who are reluctant to implement flexible summer feeding options such as grab-n-go, pick-up meals and home-delivered meals?
It is true that the program is a heavy lift administratively, but with community support, it is feasible. Start planning early (January/February)! Find advocates who can help you navigate the system: veteran sponsors, advocates like Share Our Strength, your state agency. There is knowledge out there, you just have to tap into it to find out the lessons that others have learned!
If you could tell everyone in America something about summer meals what would you tell them?
There is no shame in accepting help to feed hungry children – find out what resources you are entitled to and use them!
At No Kid Hungry New York, we thank Betsy and the food service staff members at the Food Bank of Northeastern New York for their dedication and enthusiasm in feeding kids throughout the summer. We’re grateful to support their work and honored to shine a spotlight on their extraordinary program!