Online Map Hopes to Ease Michigan Summer Hunger Challenges for Youths

republished from the State of Michigan Department of Education website

LANSING – Summer in Michigan is lots of fun. However, for thousands of children, summer may mean going without the healthy breakfast and lunch normally offered at their local school.

There are free meals available to children across Michigan through the Summer Food Service Program. Yet, despite serving more than 144 million free and affordable lunches during the 2010 school year, only 2.6 million meals were served through this program last summer.

In an effort to provide these free meals to more children, the Michigan Department of Education has created a SFSP Site Locator Map. This online map allows parents, youth, and food assistance organizations to find the nearest meal sites across the state.

"The free Summer Food Service meal sites are in most communities, we just need families to be aware and able to find them,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Mike Flanagan. “This online tool is designed to provide greater information and access to nutritional meals for kids during the summer.”

The map is simple to use – just go to the Map webpage, click on the site nearest you and a pop up window with hours of operation and meals served appears. The map is updated weekly throughout the summer as additional sites begin operation. The public is encouraged to check the website throughout the summer for Summer Food sites nearest them.

The Summer Food Service Program was established to ensure that children continue to receive nutritious meals when school is not in session. Free meals, that meet federal nutrition guidelines, are provided to all children 18 years and younger at approved SFSP sites in areas with significant concentrations of low income children. SFSP operators include public and private nonprofit schools, residential camps, colleges or universities, government agencies, and other private non-profit organizations.

The SFSP Site Locator Map can be found at www.mcgi.state.mi.us/schoolnutrition or at the Summer Food Service Program website at www.michigan.gov/sfsp

The Summer Food Service Program, administered by MDE through funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is available to children regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability.

Though Economic Stress is Up, Small Programs in Kalamazoo are Finding Success in Combating the Strain

What happens to your blog when you take a 4 day weekend void of internet exploration? You miss a lot of good articles! That is why I will attempt to update you to as much as I missed as possible, without overwhelming the senses.

Over the last 5 days there has been a plethora of articles related to the PRI. Lets take a look at what transpired while your were tending to your fireworks, pools and barbecues:

Hunger, Homelessness and Economic Strain

• Meals on Wheels is lacking the funds necessary to keep up with its program. For the first time in its history, it has had to turn down people asking for service. The program will continue to deliver 450 meals per day throughout the county, but it stopped taking more clients as of June 29. Home-delivered "convenience meals" still are available for $3, she said. Donations for Meals on Wheels may be made online at www.seniorservices1.org or mailed to Senior Services Inc., 918 Jasper St., Kalamazoo, MI 49001.
  
  
• As the NY Times Reports, the summer usually brings an increase in homeless populations. There are a few reasons for this. Landlords who are reluctant to evict during winter are less hesitant when it is warmer. Parents like the Maldonados, who have endured poor housing conditions to spare their children agitation and humiliation at school, finally pack up and leave. And relatives who have taken in families in cramped apartments lose patience when children are suddenly underfoot all day long. The article chronicles the story of a homeless family in New York City. A tough read to swallow, but a powerful article.
  
  
• California, Michigan and South Carolina suffered the most financial pain in May as unemployment, home foreclosures and bankruptcies rose, according to The Associated Press' monthly analysis of economic stress in more than 3,100 U.S. counties.

Effective Summertime Relief

• KDPS officers are keeping Urban Youth off the streets with a Youth Fishing Program. Officers from the community policing unit recruited 12- to 17-year-olds to participate in their Youth Fishing Program to help them learn new skills and to create a relationship between the neighborhoods and the officers. The program takes from 9 a.m. until noon Wednesdays through Aug. 26. It is free and the kids get to keep a Shakespeare fishing pole and a fully-stocked tackle box if they attend the majority of classes.
  
  
• The Youth Summer-jobs Program is still seeking applicants in Kalamazoo. Half of 1,000 federally funded summer youth jobs in the area have been filled. According to Kathy Olsen, employment and training coordinator for Michigan Works!, for which Y.O.U. operates the summer jobs program, said the agency's goal is employ 1,000 youths in Kalamazoo and St. Joseph Counties. Youths interested in summer employment can call Youth Opportunities Unlimited in Kalamazoo at (269) 349-9676 or the Michigan Works! office in St. Joseph County at (269) 273-2717.

• Summer school programs are keeping kids sharp during the summer months. There are 877 elementary students, 154 middle school students and 288 high school students in summer school this year at Kalamazoo Public Schools.

• The recession as well as health benefits are fueling "biker fever" in Kalamazoo. The Kalamazoo Bicycle Club membership is up and more people locally are using their bikes for transportation.