Free Summer Meals for Kids in Rochester, Thanks to CAP

In this crazy time, more and more people are facing “food insecurity.”  That’s the nice word the newscasters are putting on families that are going hungry.  Let’s not sugar coat it.  Due to the rising unemployment in the country due to COVID-19 shutdowns, more and more families that were living paycheck to paycheck before are in a bad place now.  Help is on the way for kids in Rochester according to fosters.com.

The Community Action Partnership of Strafford County (CAPSC) will be providing meals over the summer and is starting its program early due to the COVID-19 school closures.  This will be the eighth year the program has stepped up and helped kids in our area.  Since May 18^th, breakfast and lunch will be given to children from newborn to age 18.  On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, meals will be distributed.  Tuesday meals will be given out on Mondays and Thursday meals will be given out of Wednesdays according to fosters.com.  The meals are being distributed from 10 locations and you can visit the www.straffordcap.org page for locations and times in your area.  This essential summer food program is funded by the USDA for when kids no longer have access to free and reduced-price meals through school.

No child should go hungry in America.  Times are tough.  This issue hits home because as a kid, my parents struggled to put food on the table.  They made do with what we had, but that meant a lot of leftover macaroni and cheese.  I know how hard it was for my parents, but I am so grateful that they took the steps they needed too to keep my sister and brother and I fed.  We are experiencing a public health emergency and now is the time to pull together and put pride aside and take the help that is out there.  Do it for the kids.  Help is available.