The Philadelphia Housing Authority’s (PHA) school-age residents and those in surrounding neighborhoods will have access to healthy breakfasts and lunches as well as fun, recreational activities this summer.
“Access to good, nutritional hot meals is critical to the overall development of young people, in addition to maintaining their health,” said PHA president and CEO Kelvin A. Jeremiah. “PHA will offer free meals and free summer camps where youth can engage in educational and recreational enrichment activities. In addition, PHA again has youth entrepreneurship programs and career-readiness workshops planned this summer to connect youth with their passions.”
The summer camps, which will run from July 5 to August 19 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., will operate from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Mondays – Fridays at the following eight sites: Harrison, Johnson Homes, Raymond Rosen, Richard Allen/Cambridge, Hill Creek Apartments, Wilson Park, Bartram Village and Lucien E. Blackwell Center. The Boys and Girls Club is partnering with PHA to provide this service.
The PHA Summer Food Service Program, which began June 27, offers breakfasts and lunches for youth until August 19. Hours of operation are 9:00 a.m. to 10 a.m. Mondays-Fridays for breakfast and 12-2 p.m. for lunch.
The food program is offered at 11 locations: Abbottsford Homes, Bartram Gardens, Hill Creek Apartments, Johnson Homes, Norris Apartments, Lucien E. Blackwell Center, Raymond Rosen, John F. Street, Spring Garden Apartments, Whitehall Apartments and Wilson Park.
The PHA Summer Food Service Program is open to both youth in public housing and in the community. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide partial reimbursement to PHA
Children who do not live near a participating PHA site can still go to a neighboring site or one of the sites operated by the City’s Department of Parks and Recreation, which plans to offer similar meals. Residents, including those who were formerly served at sites that are not hosting the program this summer, can go online to the USDA website at https://www.fns.usda.gov/meals4kids to locate the Summer Food locations closest to them.
Residents can also look for the site nearest to them at: http://www.hungercoalition.org/summermeals/map or call the coalition’s hotline at: 1-855-252-MEAL.SFSP is a reimbursement-based grant program funded by the United States Department of Agriculture, through Pennsylvania’s Department of Education. The intent of this program is to provide free breakfast, lunch, and/or snacks to children 18 years old and under. For more information about participating in PHA’s Summer Food Service Program, call: (215) 684-3959.
The intent of this program is to provide free breakfast, lunch, and/or snacks to children 18 years old and under. For more information about participating in PHA’s Summer Food Service Program, call 215-684-8109.
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