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PORTLAND — Full Plates Full Potential, Maine’s only statewide child hunger organization, named Skowhegan Parks & Recreation Department the 2019 “16 County Summer Grant competition” winner. The department will receive a $500 summer meals program grant to support its 2020 program. Full Plates’ 16 County Summer Grant Competition was launched to highlight the critical work summer food programs provide, reaching more than 80,000 children, who rely on school meals for basic nutrition.
“We are so proud of the Skowhegan Parks & Recreation Department summer meals program. This (past) summer they served 6,395 meals, which is an increase of 73 percent over 2018,” said Anna Korsen, Full Plates Full Potential’s program director. “Summer is an extremely challenging time for children affected by hunger. Our 16 County Grant Program aims to showcase and reward the best of summer programs across our state.”
In 2019, one of the department’s strategies was to increase meal participation by incorporating a camp for ages 5 to 7 called “Scamper Camp,” a summer adventure camp which would provide breakfast and lunch daily.
“We were awarded funds from the Good Shepard Food Bank and Full Plates Full Potential to make this program happen,” noted Denise LeBlanc of Skowhegan Parks & Recreation Department. “This program, most importantly, increased meal counts while giving kids the opportunity to be physically active. Being the first Parks & Recreation Department in the State of Maine to facilitate a summer food program, we will continue to explore creative ways each summer to connect healthy meals and active play opportunities for the benefit of our community.”
At this time, Maine has 122 summer food service programs with 467 meal sites across the state. Last summer, more than 700,000 meals were served statewide.
Full Plates Full Potential is on a mission to end child hunger in Maine by partnering with nonprofit advocates, local businesses and restaurants, advocating for policy changes at the state level, granting funds and providing technical assistance to schools and hosting year-around events and fundraisers. Learn more at www.fullplates.org.
