Food Bank for Larimer County expands summer meal program

Last summer, the Food Bank for Larimer County’s Kids Cafe Program created and delivered a record-setting 41,609 meals at sites around Larimer County. The program served roughly 1,000 kids each day. The Boys and Girls Club in Wellington participates in the summer program.

Boys and Girls Club Wellington*
3815 W. Harrison Ave., Wellington
Lunch: 12 p.m.
Snack: 3 p.m.
Mon-Fri, 6/2 through 8/14
*Members only. Please contact agency for membership information.

According to recent data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Colorado Department of Education and Hunger Free Colorado, nearly 1,200 additional children are in need of summer feeding services in Fort Collins.

To work toward filling that gap, this year the Food Bank will partner with two new sites, CARE Housing at Peace with Christ Lutheran Church and Matthews House at Genesis Project. To help meet increased demand, the Food Bank applied for and received $15,000 from Disney Worldwide Services and $20,000 from ConAgra Foods. With new sites and additional funding, the Food Bank hopes to feed 500 more children this summer and increase the number of meals served to more than 50,000.

Since 2005, the Food Bank for Larimer County’s Kids Cafe Program has served free, nutritious meals to low-income children ages 3-18 after school and during the summer. The Food Bank partners with several Larimer County sites where children already congregate, including Boys and Girls Clubs, community centers and schools. In addition to healthy meals, the Kids Cafe program also offers a safe place, where under the supervision of trustworthy staff, a child can get involved in educational, recreational and social activities.

For more information, visit www.foodbanklarimer.org.