Sarasota County School District to operate summer food programs for 20th consecutive year

All Faiths Food Bank and Sarasota County libraries also will assist children and families

Image from the All Faiths Food Bank website

For the 20th consecutive summer, the Sarasota County School District will operate summer food programs at various schools and community sites, the district has announced.

Starting Monday, June 12, the district’s Food and Nutrition Services Department will provide free breakfasts and lunches to children and teens throughout Sarasota and DeSoto counties, a news release says.

Locations and schedules are available by downloading a free mobile app, School Lunch by Nutrislice, or by going to www.tinyurl.com/776nt64. Times and dates vary by location; meals will be served at some locations through Friday, Aug. 4, the release notes.

The 2017-18 school year will start on Monday, Aug. 14, in Sarasota County, the release adds.

All Faiths Food Bank also will make food available for families at several sites, and the Sarasota County Library System is joining the partnership again this year, the release says.

Food for the whole family will be available for pick-up at several locations, the release notes. For details and sites, call 379-6333 or visit allfaithsfoodbank.org.

Backpacks with food for children and teens will be available at public libraries throughout Sarasota County. For details and locations, call 379-6333 or visit scgov.net/library or allfaithsfoodbank.org.

The summer food program “provides nutritionally balanced meals to children, regardless of race, color, sex, disability, age or national origin,” the release explains. Any child or youth 18 or younger is eligible to receive meals at no cost. Each site falls into one of three categories: open, open-restricted and closed-enrolled, the release says.

At open sites, meals are available to all children, regardless of whether they are enrolled in a summer program, such as a summer school session, at that site. Children are served on a first-come, first-served basis, the release points out.

Open-restricted sites are restricted to the space available, for security and safety purposes, the release notes. These sites are designed to serve the children in the immediate area, who will be provided meals on a first-come, first-served basis, the release continues.

Closed-enrolled sites serve only the children enrolled in the program(s) offered there, the release adds.