ATLANTA — The City of Atlanta has launched its annual summer food program that will help serve more than 150,000 meals to children.
Mayor Andre Dickens announced the initiative Monday, as part of a partnership between the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning’s Bright from the Start program.
The program will provide meals to children in underserved communities across Atlanta this summer. It will serve breakfast and lunch onsite to school-aged children up to age 18 at participating City of Atlanta recreation centers through Camp Best Friends, as well as its other partner locations.
The food program runs through Friday, July 29.
“This program allows the City to stand in the gap for Atlanta’s children— many of whom go hungry during the summer months when school-provided lunches are unavailable,” Mayor Dickens said. “Thank you to Parks and Recreation and our partners for leading our efforts to ensure our most vulnerable receive the reliable, healthy nutrition they deserve year-round.”
According to a news release from the mayor's office, children enrolled in the City of Atlanta's Camp Best Friends have immediate access to the program. Additionally, there is currently open enrollment in the Bright from the Start program. There's enrollment for the program through its partners at nonprofit organizations, libraries and churches.
For families without transportation, the summer food program will relaunch its mobile feeding program on wheels.
"The mobile service will help provide as many as 5,000 additional meals this summer," the mayor's office said in a release.
The summer food program aims to serve an average of 3,000 meals daily to children across Atlanta, with the goal of serving more than 150,000 meals by the end of summer.
To find a summer food program meal site, click here and enter your zip code. Parents and guardians can also call (404) 546-3122. Hours may vary depending on the location. You can also click here to register for Camp Best Friends.