CITY PARTNERS WITH SAN DIEGO PARKS FOUNDATION, ALBERTSONS’ NOURISHING NEIGHBORS PROGRAM AND FEEDING SAN DIEGO TO PROVIDE FREE ‘TO GO’ MEALS AT 12 RECREATION CENTERS
Starting Tuesday, July 14, the City of San Diego will begin offering free lunches throughout the summer to help meet the needs of the community, especially those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The City is partnering with the San Diego Parks Foundation, Feeding San Diego and Albertsons Companies’ Nourishing Neighbors program to help feed children who need it the most during this unprecedented time.
To meet the needs of the community, members of the public will be able to pick up prepared ‘to go’ lunch and breakfast for children ages 18 and under at a dozen City recreation centers throughout the summer. To keep the public and staff safe, meals will be made available outside of recreation centers and parents can pick up meals with no registration or income verification required. Parents will need to have a facial covering when picking up meals and children do not need to be present for parents to receive meals.
“We are very pleased to be able to offer this important program to residents who need meals during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Andy Field, Director of the City’s Parks and Recreation Department. “Providing healthy food options for families with limited resources during the pandemic is especially important at this time, and we are grateful for our partnerships with Feeding San Diego, the San Diego Parks Foundation and Albertsons Companies’ Nourishing Neighbors in restarting this critically needed program.”
The San Diego Parks Foundation received a $50,000 grant from the Albertsons Companies’ Nourishing Neighbors program that will be used to purchase equipment that will support the program.
“This help from Albertson’s, Vons and Pavilions and their generous customers is the lifeline that we desperately need as the City responds to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Marcella Bothwell, treasurer and founding Board Member of the San Diego Parks Foundation. “We are grateful to be part of Nourishing Neighbors Family! The support, partnership and generosity are truly making a difference.”
In the past the City has partnered with San Diego Unified and Sweetwater school districts to provide free lunches to children during the summer. More than 1.3 million meals have been served in City parks since 2003.
For more information about the 2020 Summer Lunch program, including participating recreation center locations and food distribution times, visit sandiegoparksfoundation.org. Additional information about food distribution programs throughout San Diego County is available by calling 211 or visiting feedingsandiego.org/get-help.
