New Bedford Summer Food Program Extended

As the summer begins to wind down some of the community assistant programs that many have relied on are also but luckily some are extending their assistance another week.

The "Play in the Park and Summer Food Program" is extending its services through September 9, according to a message posted to the New Bedford Dept. of Parks, Recreation and Beaches Facebook page.

The department has been providing food for students who need the meals that schools would normally provide during the school year. It has over a dozen locations across the New Bedford area and has served thousands of meals. The program was set to end on August 28t but because schools have delayed the start of the new year, the program extended to continue to bridge the gap for those students needing meals.

This program is available to young people ages 18 and under. Breakfast and lunch are provided and enough for two or three days are given at one time. Meals can not be consumed on-premises and must be either refrigerated or frozen. There are three days a week that these meals can be picked up at select schools/locations with certain time windows and social distancing procedures continue to be in place. The pickups are also happening rain or shine.

Times and locations can be found on the Facebook page.

Hopefully, a program like this will come for those students who are having to do virtual learning but still need the meals schools would normally provide.