McAllen summer meal program to have 63 sites

McALLEN — The McAllen Independent School District announced the kickoff of its annual Summer Feeding Program which aims to provide breakfast, lunch and dinner to children in the most underserved communities across the city.

Starting May 30, 63 sites will begin serving several hot meals per day— mostly pairing breakfast and lunch, lunch and snack or snack and dinner — to any child 18 years of age and under, with no documentation or registration required.

“For many children in our community, the school year is a time when they receive two healthy meals a day and families only have to provide evening and weekend meals,” McAllen Mayor Jim Darling said in a news release. “Summer creates a difficult challenge for those families struggling to provide hot, nutritious and healthy meals for their children.”

The city is partnering with the district to promote the program and provide access to city facilities to be used as sites to serve the meals. These include the McAllen International Museum, the public library and local parks such as Firemen’s Park and Spray Ground Park.

The summer program also includes 15 bus routes, dubbed Meals on Wheels, which will deliver meals to some of the less accessible neighborhoods such as routes along South 27th Street, Buddy Owens Boulevard and Ebony Avenue. Children can visit more than one site to get four meals a day. Other sites include churches, McAllen ISD schools and community centers.

“We know that the Summer Feeding Program fills a vital gap for families,” McAllen ISD Superintendent Jose Gonzalez said in a news release. “Healthy children make healthy learners. In McAllen ISD we focus, not only on educating the mind, but on promoting a healthy and active lifestyle for children so they will grow up to lead productive lives.”

The program is part of the Texas Department of Agriculture Food & Nutrition Program Summer Meals which funds the meals. Last year alone the district reported serving more than 200,000 meals during the summer.

For a complete list of meal sites please visit the McAllen ISD website, mcallenisd.org, or call the school district’s Food Nutrition Program at (956) 632-3226.