Keiki in Maui County can receive a free meal any weekday at Play and Learn Sessions sites on Maui, Molokai and Lanai; eligible children 18 and younger do not need to be enrolled in a PALS program to qualify for meals.
“Even though schools are closed for the summer, we are pleased to help ensure that no keiki go hungry,” said Ryan Min, PALS Recreation Specialist. “We encourage families to utilize the free meals at PALS sites on Maui, Molokai and Lanai, which are approved areas by the federal standards.”
Meals are available to Maui, Molokai and Lanai keiki on a first-come, first-served basis during the PALS summer session, which runs June 7-July 14, 2017. Parents or guardians should contact a PALS site coordinator for more information; if unable to reach a site coordinator, please call the PALS office at 808-270-7403. Information will be provided on PALS locations offering meals, times of meal being offered, and instructions of how to participate in the meal count.
Many children in the county receive free or reduced-price meals during the school year, but many of these children do not get enough to eat when school is out. The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), a federal program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), is designed to allow these children to continue to grow and learn during the summer. The SFSP is the largest federal resource available for local programs that combine meal-time with recreational and educational activities.
Photo of PALS participants Muzik Kekiwi Vares and Tayon Spencer eating breakfast at the Kahului Community Center PALS site: County of Maui Dept. of Parks and Recreation, Ryan Min
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