Food bank sponsors summer food program

MILTON, Fla. (WALA) - Bay Area Food Bank is partnering with local community organizations to offer free meals to children across the Florida Panhandle this summer through the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).

The SFSP is a program of the United States Department of Agriculture. This program is designed to fill in the nutritional gap left when children are out of school during summer months and do not receive free or reduced price meals at school.

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Throughout the panhandle, Bay Area Food Bank supports 18 summer sites, which includes many churches and child care centers.

The food bank provides a rotating menu which consists of freshly made items including turkey and cheese sandwiches, grilled chicken sandwiches and grilled chicken wraps each served with fruit, vegetables and milk.

"Food is an important element to child development regardless of where the child lives - rural areas just as much as urban areas. In fact, many of our more rural communities are the worst off in terms of child food insecurity," said Dave Reaney, Executive Director of the Bay Area Food Bank. "This year, I'm happy to say we're partnering with more organizations and volunteers to provide more sites than in previous years."