In Centre County on Monday, a group of State and Federal Officials got a firsthand look at how one local organization is continuing to use a variety of sources and programs to keep kids and families in need fed during the Summer months. At Wingate Elementary School on Monday, the Penn State Lady Lions Basketball Team and a host of volunteers were on hand for another food distribution event sponsored by Centre County YMCA’s Anti-Hunger Program.
Vonda Ramp of the PA Dept. of Education saying: “The YMCA of Centre County operates 14 summer meal service sites, and in June and July, they served over 20,000 breakfast and lunch. That’s over 40,000 meals to children in Centre County.” The added challenge feeding children, students during the summer when in-school breakfast and lunch programs aren’t always available, especially in more rural areas. Cindy Long of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture adding: “Where transportation’s a challenge, folks are far apart. We’ve only ever been able to reach about one in six of the kids that received meals during the school year.”
The Y has been working with schools, Wingate Elementary and others, to provide student meals for decades. James Orichosky, the Principal of Wingate Elementary Shool saying: “I see what happens when students are not fed. And I see what happens when students are fed. And I see the difference.” State and Federal Officials here emphasizing new programs to address what’s termed “food insecurity” for the Y’s anti-hunger program. Distributing that food remains a priority. Mel Curtis of the Centre County YMCA saying: “When we started the Anti-Hunger Program back in 2004, So it’s not a new program. We’ve put out, since COVID started, we’re well over 17 Million pounds of food that we put back in communities.”
