Page 54 - August 2024 Issue Web.pdf

County Summer Meals programs impress visiting offi cials

By Connie Connolly MSDE announced July 12 its summer meals program for

youth under age 18 at sites statewide. “This USDA federally
FEDERALSBURG – Representatives from the Maryland
funded program, along with local sponsoring agencies,
State Department of Education, the U.S. Department of
ensures that students in Maryland receive the necessary
Agriculture and the American Dairy Association toured
nutrition during the summer months,” the press release
Caroline County Monday, July 9, to learn how this rural
stated.
county with a high poverty rate tries mightily to mitigate

food deserts and feed its vulnerable citizens. This is the first year kids don’t have to gather in one place to
receive food.

They praised the county’s efforts to feed young and old.
“In the past, it was a law with USDA that all meals served
“I absolutely loved it,” said Toni Wasi, a youth nutrition
during the summer had to be congregate, but it’s very hard
specialist with the American Dairy Association. She said she
in a rural setting to have a congregate meal service,” said
was “floored” seeing firsthand the community’s programs to

feed the hungry.

Driving this multifaceted effort was Beth Brewster,
supervisor of Caroline County Public Schools Food Services.
A traveling farmers market, meal preparation and free
summer meals programs were covered by the tour.

“We have a lot of different agencies here to be able to
see what Summer Meals look like – congregate or non-
congregate,” Brewster said at Federalsburg Elementary
School, where Caroline County Recreation and Parks was
holding one of its four summer camps July 1 to Aug. 1.
“The USDA changed last year where you could serve non-

congregate meals in rural America.”
Children choose fresh fruits as sides for their nachos July 9 during
Federalsburg, with its Haitian refugee population, has the summer camp at Federalsburg Elementary School.
highest percentage of students – 78% -- who qualify for Free
and Reduced Price School Meals.
Join Caroline Better Together in Ridgely
Action Team AFFORDABLE HAIR CARE

Get involved in one of our Action Teams
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• Family Resources - We want all
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opportunities to better their economic mobility.
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• Early Learning Action - We want all Caroline County 410-634-9200
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• Youth Development & Education Action - We want Ridgely, MD
all Caroline County youth to have access to high quality
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