Holliston July 2016

Page 14 Local Town Pages www.hollistontownnews.com July 2016
Living Healthy
Summer Free Lunch Program Kicks Off in Milford
Collaborative Project with Milford Area Humanitarian
Coalition, Milford Public Schools Food Services and
Hockomock Area YMCA Open to All Kids
The Milford Area Humanitarian
Coalition is presenting
the Milford Summer Food Service
Program, sponsored by the
Hockomock Area YMCA in collaboration
with the Milford Public
Schools Food Services team.
The program begins on Thursday,
June 23rd and will end on
Tuesday, August 30th.
The program is being offered
at three locations in Milford, MA
including Memorial Elementary
School located at 12 Walnut
Street; The Milford Youth Center
located at 24 Pearl Street; and
the Trinity Episcopal Church located
at 17 Congress Street.
The Summer Food Service
Program in Milford will be
serving nutritious lunches for
all children who would like to
participate (ages 18 and under)
Monday through Friday between
11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Participants
must remain onsite while
eating and enjoying the meal.
Each site will also offer fun, interactive
activities after the lunch
each weekday. This program is
free and open to all. No advanced
sign-up or paperwork required.
In addition to the free lunch, an
afternoon snack is available at
the Milford Youth Center from 3
p.m. to 3:30 p.m. each week day.
“We are proud that our Y is a
place where community comes
together to make a difference
when we engage in initiatives
like the Milford Summer Food
Service Program,” said Ed Hurley,
president of the Hockomock
Area YMCA. “Our partnership
with the Milford Area Humanitarian
Coalition and the Milford
Public Schools will positively impact
hundreds of Milford children
and families. Collectively
we are working to ensure that
more kids have the nourishment
they need to grow and thrive this
summer.”
A pilot program was launched
last summer in Milford by the
Milford Area Humanitarian Coalition
(MAHC). The program
served 2,200 meals to children
over the course of the summer.
“Last summer’s lunch program
was a huge success. We used private
funding to test out the pilot
program. The good news is that
every child who comes to one of
the three lunch sites will be fed
each week day this summer. We
anticipate 300 to 500 kids a day.
The bad news is that there are
over 1,400 children in the Milford
school system who depend
on the school for their meals
(reduced price and free) over the
course of the school year. Let’s
make sure that no child goes to
bed hungry this summer,” said
Rev. William MacDonald Murray,
who is also the rector at Trinity
Episcopal Church and leads
the Milford Area Humanitarian
Coalition.
Kevin McIntyre, incoming
Superintendent of Milford Public
Schools said, “We are very
excited to partner with the Milford
Area Humanitarian Coalition
and the Hockomock Area
YMCA for the Summer Food
Service Program. This supports a
clear need in the community and
will provide meals to our students
throughout the summer. I look
forward to this being an annual
partnership because of the vital
need this fills when school is out
of session.”
For more information or to
be a program volunteer, email
mealprograms@hockymca.org.
Information can also be found on
Facebook (Milford Summer Food
Service Program) and Twitter (@
Milford_SFSP). As well as on the
website: hockymca.org.
Meals will be provided to all
children without charge and are
the same for all children regardless
of race, color, national origin,
sex, age or ability, and there
will be no discrimination in the
course of the meal service.
Thank you to the following
sponsors who have supported
this program with grants or donations
of over $250 dollars:
The Walmart Foundation, The
Episcopal Churches of Central
and Western Massachusetts, The
Massachusetts Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education,
CHNA 6, Project Bread,
Unibank, Bright Insurance,
Trinity Episcopal Church, First
Congregational Church, Milford
Federal Saving and Loan, Milford
National Bank and Trust,
Partners by Design, Commission
on Disability, Imperial Ford,
Law Offices of Michael M. Kaplan
P.C., Harold and Marcia
Rhodes, and the Milford Rotary
Club.
USDA Non-Discrimination
Statement:
In accordance with Federal
civil rights law and U.S. Department
of Agriculture (USDA) civil
rights regulations and policies,
the USDA, its Agencies, offices,
and employees, and institutions
participating in or administering
USDA programs are prohibited
from discriminating based on
race, color, national origin, sex,
disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation
for prior civil rights activity
in any program or activity
conducted or funded by USDA.
Persons with disabilities who
require alternative means of
communication for program
information (e.g. Braille, large
print, audiotape, American Sign
Language, etc.), should contact
the Agency (State or local) where
they applied for benefits. Indi-
Don’t let itchy eyes from allergies ruin your day!
We can help!
- comprehensive routine & medical eye care
- glaucoma & diabetes eye screenings
- specialized contact lens fitting
- laser vision & cataract co-management
- fashion eyewear & safety glasses
* personal & friendly service!!!