Community Action Organization (CAO) of Scioto County’s Workforce Solution and Community Development arm is ready to kick off a summer of feeding activities for youth.
“We serve a county that has food deserts, youth dependent on school lunches, and families in need of extra support in feeding their kids,” Department Director Luanne Valentine said. “We have a trained staff of people working hard all summer to make sure these gaps are bridged, because it is a vital service. Nobody wants to see a hungry child and we do what we can to relieve that burden on struggling parents.”
The group has four programs that play conjointly with each other to accomplish the major goal of feeding youth in Scioto County this summer. The programs include weekend take home meals, meal distribution, produce distribution, and congregate meals.
Congregate meals will be served in eight locations.
14th Street Community Center, 1222 14th Street, Portsmouth, for breakfast between 9 and 9:30 a.m., between June 5 and August 18.
Bloom-Vernon Elementary School, 10529-A State Route 140, South Webster, for breakfast between 8:15 and 8:45 a.m. and lunch between 11 and 11:30 a.m., between June 12 and June 30.
The Boys and Girls Club at Portsmouth High School, 1225 Gallia Street, for breakfast between 9 and 9:30 a.m. and lunch between 12:30 and 1 p.m., between June 5 and August 18.
The Boys and Girls Club at South Central ESC, 522 Glenwood Avenue, New Boston, for breakfast between 9 and 9:30 a.m. and lunch between 12:30 and 1 p.m., between June 5 and August 18.
The McKinley Pool, 1529 Findlay Street, Portsmouth, for breakfast/lunch from noon to 12:30, between June 5 and August 18.
Portsmouth Inner City Development Corporation, 1206 Waller Street, Portsmouth, for lunch between noon and 12:30 p.m., between June 5 and August 18.
Potter’s House Ministries, 5409 Winchester Avenue, Portsmouth, for breakfast between 8:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. and lunch between noon and 12:30, between June 5 and August 18.
Vern Riffe School, 2619 Gallia Street, Portsmouth, for breakfast between 8 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., between June 6 and August 12.
Food distribution will be served at 11 sites.
On Tuesdays, between June 6 and August 18, food will be given out at Miller Manor, 1130 Kinker Drive, Wheelersburg, between 12:30 and 1 p.m.; Boston Commons, 300 Center Street, New Boston, between 2 and 2:30 p.m.
On Wednesdays, between June 7 and August 18, food will be given out at Friendship Fire Station, 12215 US 52, Stout, between 10 and 10:30 a.m.; Buena Vista Fire Station, 674 US 52, Stout, between 11 and 11:30 a.m.; and Lett Terrace, 314 Noel Lane, West Portsmouth, between 2 and 2:30 p.m.
On Thursdays, between June 8 and August 18, food will be given out at Faith Fellowship, 3096 McDermott-Pond Creek, McDermott, between 1 and 1:30 p.m.; McCullough Baptist Church, 12055 State Route 348, Lucasville, between 2 and 2:30 p.m.; and Rarden Community Center, 1693 Main Street, Rarden, between 3 and 3:30 p.m.
On Fridays, between June 9 and August 18, food will be given out at Lucasville Center Street Church, 173 Center Street, Lucasville, between 11:30 and noon; CAO North Campus, 2220 Scioto Trail, Portsmouth, between 1 and 2 p.m.; Kendall Heights, 1908 Wayne Avenue, Portsmouth, between 2 and 3 p.m.
The take home produce boxes are for families that meet certain income thresholds. Locals can visit a site for eligibility assessment and enrollment.
The locations for disbursement of produce boxes rotate each week, between two sets of locations.
Schedule One will feature The Armory Learning Annex, 2313 17th Street, Portsmouth, between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. on Mondays; Miller Manor, 1130 Kinker Drive, Wheelersburg, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesdays; Scioto Community School, 224 Marshall Street, Sciotoville, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Wednesdays; Lett Terrace, 314 Noel Lane, West Portsmouth, between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Thursdays; and Tri-State Cell Phone Repair (parking lot), 4033 Rhodes Avenue, New Boston, between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Fridays.
Schedule Two will feature The Armory Learning Annex, 2313 17th Street, Portsmouth, between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. on Mondays; Center Street Church, 173 Center Street, Lucasville, between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Tuesdays; The 14th Street Community Center, 1220 14th Street, Portsmouth, between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Wednesdays; Earl Thomas Conley Park, 15888 US 52, West Portsmouth, between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Thursdays; and Bloom-Vernon Elementary, 10529-A SR 140, South Webster, between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Fridays.
Schedule 1 will operate the week of June 5. Schedule 2 will operate the week of June 12. The weeks will then rotate.
The program will operate most of the summer and Valentine is optimistic about the upcoming services.
“We have several methods of feeding youth and families this summer and we are dedicated to closing that gap to nutritious food,” Valentine said. “We’re here for people in a lot of ways, from workforce development and family development to nutrition and we take it all equally important.”
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