Beginning this week, the Bath Area Family YMCA will start delivering free meals to children and teens in the community as part of the organization’s summer food program.
Every weekday from June 23 to August 22, YMCA staff and volunteers will deliver prepared meals at 12 locations in the communities of Brunswick and Bath. Meals are provided free of charge and are available to any child or teen from the surrounding communities.
When the school year ends, children lose access to the free breakfasts and lunches now provided in Maine schools. This puts significant strain on families already struggling to make ends meet, especially given the rising cost of groceries. In Maine, nearly 1 in 5 children experience food insecurity.
The Y launched its mobile Veggie Van in the summer of 2020, delivering hundreds of meals to children in the RSU1 and West Bath school districts, and has continued to meet increasing community needs ever since. Last year, the program distributed over 42,000 summer meals to the community with the support of dozens of volunteers.
“Every child in our community deserves access to healthy and nutritious food, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to play such an important role in fighting hunger insecurity in our communities,” said Jennifer Connelie, Food Program Coordinator at the YMCA.
The Y’s summer meal program is made possible through partnerships with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Merrymeeting Gleaners, and funding from Full Plates Full Potential.
Grab-and-go meals are provided on a first-come, first-serve basis, at the sites and times as follows:
Bath Veggie Van Route (Monday-Friday)
10:20am: Academy Green Apartments
10:35am: 19-29 Shaw Street
10:50am: 570-579 Middle Street
11:15am: Maritime Apartments
11:45am: Corner of Denny Rd. & Bowman St.
12:05pm: Oak Grove Apartments
12:25pm: Atlantic Townhouses Playground
Brunswick Veggie Van Route (Monday-Friday)
10:00am Green Acres Estates (West Bath)
10:20am: Bay Bridge Estates (by Main Office)
10:45am: Perryman Village
11:30am: Old Gurnet Road (Corner of Garrison and Heath)
11:55am: Curtis Memorial Library
Federal Non-Discrimination Statement
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible State or local Agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
(1) mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
(2) fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
(3) email:
program.intake@usda.gov
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.