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 fuel they need to learn, grow and thrive. This week, we heard from Regan Kiembock, Director of Nutrition Services at Southampton UFSD, a small (but mighty!) district on Long Island. A long-time partner of No Kid Hungry New York, Southampton UFSD launched their first summer meals program (Summer Food Service Program, or SFSP) in 2024 to provide free meals to children 18 and younger in their community.
Tell us about your community. What makes the area special?
Our community here in Southampton is very unique. We are CEP (Community Eligibility Provision) and we are 48% free and reduced meal eligible, and are situated at the Eastern End of Long Island, still surrounded by farmland. We have a diverse student body representing twenty two countries, with 51% Latino/Hispanic students, 37% white students, 7% Indigenous students from the Shinnecock Reservation, 3% multi-racial students, 1% African American students, and .5% Asian students.
What are some of the challenges (or barriers) that kids and families face during the summer? How has starting a summer meals program helped to overcome this?
Barriers are parents often are working more hours in this community as more people are here in the summer and need services; need of day care for their young children; and less time to prepare meals and shop if working more hours to work. The summer program has eased some of that worry for parents, in that we offered breakfast and lunch to all students attending programs.
How have kids and families expressed gratitude for your new summer meals program?
The students’ smiles when seeing the colorful bags ready for them to get their breakfast or lunch in (bags from Mission Nutrition with kid friendly games and themes on them), and each BBQ day enjoying the fresh grilled lunches outside with their program teachers/leaders. The program leaders were so happy and enthusiastic and expressed thanks, as in the past, many students did not always bring lunch with them to the program. This program allowed all to be together, congregating and eating together the same food. No stigma attached.
What were the most popular items on your summer menu? What was your favorite item to serve?
We had a BBQ day each Thursday and featured New York State beef burgers or cheeseburgers, New York State hotdogs, and local corn on the cob when it was available and fresh salad with homemade yogurt ranch dressing, which all enjoyed. They also liked our new popcorn chicken and cheddar cheese ranch wrap, and each Friday was a nacho chip lunch with shredded cheddar and salsa.
What keeps you motivated to do this work, especially taking on a new program?
The joy in feeling like we are doing something to help our local community, both the students and the parents. Also, being able to bring more local fresh produce into the program as the growing season is at it’s peak during that time.
Over the years, No Kid Hungry New York has worked with Southampton UFSD to help support their pandemic emergency feeding programs, championed their Breakfast After the Bell (BAB) program, and we’re thrilled to see their program expand to provide summer meals! We’re grateful to support their work, and we thank Regan and the food service staff members at Southampton UFSD for their dedication and enthusiasm in feeding kids throughout the summer!