Summer Youth Cafe feeds community children for 3rd year
A program that helps keep children fed throughout summer break has officially started its third year of distributions in the region.
Dozens of people lined up outside Emily Brittain Elementary School in Butler Thursday morning, June 18, for the first Summer Youth Cafe distribution.
The program, which is run by Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, aims to offer free, nutritionally balanced meals to anyone under the age of 18. For the distribution at Emily Brittain, it serves free grab-and-go meals on a weekly basis, with items for 10 meals in total.
Dana Launius, manager of child nutrition youth cafe programs at the food bank, said the program has around 150 registrants so far this year and expected to serve over 100 children at Thursday’s distribution.
“As of this morning, we had 104 checked in and signed up. Most of those people will come, but we’ll also get those who haven’t signed up yet who will come. We also brought some backup meals just in case we have more than we expect,” she said.
She said parents who use the program across the food bank’s coverage area generally say it’s a big help during the summer while children are home.
“And the fact that they’re ready-made is a big help. Even if the parent or guardian isn’t around and the kid is feeding themselves, they can just pop it in the microwave and they’re set. There’s also a convenience factor to it,” Launius said.
One mother, Darla Abraham, waited in line alongside her daughter, Hailey. She said she has been using the Summer Youth Cafe program since it began in Butler three years ago.
She said the program lifts a huge weight off her shoulders, especially knowing her children will get nutritionally well-rounded meals.
“They’ve given us hamburgers and hot dogs, and you get your milk and fruit and things like that. It’s a lot of variety,” she said.
Abraham added the program was fairly easy to get into, especially with Butler Area School District passing out flyers and other information about the program before the school year ended.
“It was so easy. They did it through emails at the school. We get letters sent home after school,” she said.
Launius said the collaboration between the district and the food bank helps tremendously with local outreach.
“They share our announcement with all the parents. They send it out through the email list. This year, we did a preregistration. It seems to be a good system thus far,” she said.
She said the district is something parents are already familiarized with, which makes it the perfect way to make them aware of the program.
“It’s great to work with partners who are from the area and know the landscape. Working with the school is great because the school is trusted by the parents. If the school trusts us enough to work with us, it’s an extra level of credibility,” Launius said.
The Summer Youth Cafe program is offering two grab-and-go sites in Butler County this year:
• 10 to 11 a.m. Thursdays until Aug. 13 at Emily Brittain Elementary School, 338 N. Washington St., Butler;
• 1 to 2 p.m. Tuesdays until Aug. 13 at Moniteau Jr./Sr. High School, 1810 West Sunbury Road, Cherry Township.
Registration for the program can be done either online or in person during pickup time.
More information on additional food resources throughout the county is available at pittsburghfoodbank.org/summer.
