Bates Area Civic Association

GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

 

Executive Office of the Mayor

Office of Communications

 

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, July 17, 2014

CONTACT: Rob Marus (EOM) 202.727.6853; robert.marus@dc.gov

John Stokes (DPR) 202.288.7275; john.stokes@dc.gov George Williams (DCPL) 202.727.1184; George.williams2@dc.gov Victoria Holmes (OSSE) 202.372.5415; Victoria.Holmes@dc.gov

 

Mayor Gray Announces Further Expansion of District’s Saturday Free Summer Meals Program

Free Summer Meals to Be Offered Six Days a Week for the Second Year in a Row

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Today, Mayor Vincent C. Gray announced the expansion of the District’s Free Summer Meals Program for the second year in a row. Starting on Saturday, July 19, 2014, free summer meals will be offered on Saturdays across the District at select Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) and D.C. Public Library (DCPL) locations for children and youth 18 years of age and under. The distribution sites include seven additional locations. The District ranks No. 1 in the nation in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Summer Food Service Program, which provides free, nutritious meals and snacks during the summer months at government sites and non-profit organizations throughout the District.

“Not only has the District committed to providing free summer meals on Saturdays for the second year in a row, but we have also significantly increased the number of sites offering meals at DPR and DCPL locations,” said Mayor Gray. “I am proud that the District continues to rank first in the country in access to nutritious meals for children and young people during the summer months. By expanding summer meals to Saturdays for the second summer in a row and offering new meal locations, we are once again demonstrating our commitment to being a city where every child has a chance to succeed.”

Last year, the District offered Saturday free summer meals at 12 locations (six DPR and six DCPL). This year, the District will offer Saturday free summer meals at 19 locations (15 DPR and four DCPL). Meals will be provided for children and youth 18 years of age and under. No registration or application is necessary. Children or youth can simply show up at a free summer meals site during meal time.

Meals will be offered from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. every Saturday from July 19 to August 16 at the 15 DPR locations. Meals will be offered from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at four DCPL locations; however, each DCPL location will have a different schedule for the dates on which they will be offering meals. Please see the list below for the dates, times and locations of all the Saturday Free Summer Meals locations.

DPR Saturday Free Summer Meals Sites (All DPR sites will serve meals from 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.):

 Ward 1: Banneker Community Center – 2500 Georgia Avenue NW | (202) 673-6861

 Ward 1: Kalorama Recreation Center – 1875 Columbia Road NW | (202) 673-7606

 Ward 4: Lamond Recreation Center – 20 Tuckerman Street NE | (202) 576-954

 Ward 4: Petworth Recreation Center – 801 Taylor Street NW | (202) 576-6850

 Ward 5: Brentwood Recreation Center – 2311 14th Street NE | (202) 576-6667

 Ward 5: Harry Thomas Sr. Recreation Center – 1743 Lincoln Road NE | (202) 576-5642

 Ward 5: Turkey Thicket Recreation Center – 1100 Michigan Avenue NE | (202) 576-9238

 Ward 6: King Greenleaf Recreation Center – 201 N Street SW | (202) 645-7454

 Ward 6: Rosedale Community Center – 1701 Gales Street NE | (202) 727-2591

 Ward 7: Benning Park Community Center – Southern Avenue & Fable Street SE | (202) 341-6765

 Ward 7: Benning Stoddert Community Center – 100 Stoddert Place SE | (202) 698-1873

 Ward 7: Deanwood Recreation Center – 1350 49th Street NE | (202) 671-3077

 Ward 7: Fort Davis Community Center – 1400 41st Street SE | (202) 645-9212

 Ward 8: Bald Eagle Recreation Center – 100 Joliet Street SE | (202) 671-5123

 Ward 8: Southeast Tennis and Learning Center – 701 Mississippi Avenue SE | (202) 645-6242

 

DCPL Saturday Free Summer Meals Sites (All DCPL sites will serve meals from 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.):

 Ward 7: Capitol View Library – 5001 Central Avenue SE | (202) 645-0755 Meals offered July 26 and August 9

 Ward 7: Dorothy I. Height/Benning Library – 3935 Benning Road NE | (202) 281-2583 Meals offered every Saturday, July 19 through August 9

 Ward 8: Anacostia Library – 1800 Good Hope Road SE | (202) 715-7707 Meals offered every Saturday, July 19 through August 9

 Ward 8: William O. Lockridge/Bellevue Library – 115 Atlantic Street SW | (202) 243-1185 Meals offered July 19 and August 2

The D.C. Free Summer Meals Program is made possible through the following organizations: USDA; District government agencies including the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE); DPR and DCPL; D.C. Hunger Solutions, Walmart and the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA).

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