PORT TOWNSEND — In its third year, the Jefferson County YMCA’s Summer Meals Program is expected to benefit more than 400 children, up from about 160 when it began in 2013.
Meals, provided Monday through Friday in four locations, are offered free of charge to anyone under 18.
“If this program was not in place there would be many children who would not have adequate nutrition in the summer months,” said Erica Delma, Jefferson County YMCA executive director.
“They wouldn’t have the same engaging enrichment they get here. It is a high quality service offered to kids countywide.”
Along with increased participation there is an increase in needed operating funds, Delma said, explaining that costs upward of $60,000 to run the program.
Supporting funds come from grants and contributions from United Good Neighbors, while partnerships with three school systems, the Jefferson County Library and the Bainbridge Island Kids Museum support operations and programming.
Delma said that the program is essential because of the high volume of students who receive free or reduced school meals, whose diet would suffer without this aid.
The program operates at Chimacum Elementary School, Quilcene Elementary School, Mountain View Commons and Grant Street Elementary School.
The first three have been part of the program from the beginning while Grant Street has been added this year.
The Mountain View Commons program at 1925 Blaine St., operates until Aug. 27 and includes lunch at noon and a snack at 3 p.m.
It is a walk-in program where anyone can stop by at those times and is independent of the summer day care, for which there is an additional fee.
The Grant Street program, at 1637 Grant St., operates until July 24 with a 9 a.m. snack and lunch at noon.
Grant Street is hosting the Feed Your Brain literacy program, for children 5 to 12 years old, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The Chimacum program, which began June 22, will operate until Aug. 21, with a snack at 9 a.m. and lunch at noon in the Chimacum Elementary multipurpose building on the campus at 91 West Valley Road.
In addition to meals, children 5 to 12 years old can participate in Feed Your Brain from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Quilcene operates until Aug. 21 from 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., offering lunch at 12:30 p.m. and a snack at 3:15 p.m. at the Quilcene School, 294715 Highway 101.
Activities include a free enrichment program.
All the programs and meals are free. Preregistration is required for the enrichment program. Forms are available at http://tinyurl.com/PDN-Literacy.
Delma said that all the programs combat “summer learning loss,” adding that all of the participants in the 2014 Summer Literacy programs in Chimacum and Quilcene maintained or improved reading skills over the break.
For more information go to http://tinyurl.com/PDN-YMCA or call 360-385-5811.
________
Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.