Nutritional Development Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Seeks Community Partners to Host Summer Meal Sites

The Summer Meals Program runs from June 17 through August 23.

Nutritional Development Services (NDS) is seeking community partners to participate in its Summer Meals Program. This vital initiative ensures that children and youth aged 18 or younger throughout the Greater Philadelphia area have access to wholesome and nourishing meals at no cost when school is out of session.

Ms. Lizanne F. Hagedorn, Executive Director of NDS said, “When most of us think of a child experiencing summer, we picture carefree days and fun adventures, but for many children, especially in our area, summers are difficult. More than 30 million children in the U.S. who participate in United States Department of Agriculture meal programs lose access to those meals during the summer. Many of those children experience hunger, and the various ramifications of that. The Summer Meals Program is a great way to address this problem.”

NDS’ Summer Meals Program can be operated in various settings including schools, community centers, playgrounds, camps, parks, and churches. In addition, non-traditional settings can include WIC offices, libraries, apartment buildings, townhouse community rooms, Family Service Centers, and more.

All meals are delivered daily “ready-to-eat” and no preparation is required. Summer Meals sites provide breakfast and lunch. Meals include whole grains, low-fat milk, protein-rich foods, and a variety of fruits and vegetables. In addition, all meals follow federal guidelines for nutrition, and lunches provide children with 1/3 of their daily nutritional requirements.

In 2023, NDS’ Summer Meals Program served 282 sites throughout the Greater Philadelphia area and provided approximately 338,769 meals to children.

To sign up for the Summer Meals Program, please call the Summer Meals Hotline at 215-895-3470 option 1. For more information about the Summer Meals Program, please visit https://www.healthymealsforchildren.org/summer-meal-program/summer-meals-program-faq/.

The Summer Meals Program is federally funded and operated nationally by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). In this region, it is administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement:

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted 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; or
  2. fax:
    (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
  3. email:
    [email protected]

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Editor’s Note: For over 50 years, NDS’ mission has been to serve children and those in need with healthy food and food-related resources. NDS accomplishes its mission in two distinct ways: by administering the federally-funded child nutrition programs and through the privately supported Community Food Program. For more information about NDS, please visit http://nutritionaldevelopmentservices.org/.  NDS is an equal opportunity service provider.

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Contact:
Katie Rogers
Media and Events Specialist
215-587-3747 (office)