OCO Summer Food Service Program Providing Free Meals for Oswego County Children

Lori Halstead, coordinator of Oswego County Opportunities (OCO) Nutrition Services, has announced that OCO is participating in this year’s Summer Food Service Program. Funded through the New York State Education Department, the Summer Food Service Program provides free meals to children throughout the summer months.  

“Summer is an exciting time for children to enjoy playtime with friends, a week at camp, a family vacation, or time at the pool. But for many children who receive free and reduced-price meals at school, summer can mean hunger. Just as learning does not end when school lets out, neither does a child’s need for good nutrition. Once again we have partnered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide free meals to children while school is out for the summer. There are no income requirements. All school aged children ages 18 and under are invited to enjoy a free meal” said Halstead.

Meals will be available at the following sites and times. All locations will be closed in observance of the Fourth of July holiday on Monday, July 4th. Orders for meals are placed at the site the day before you attend.

Butch Ponzi Recreation, Building #27 Fort Ontario Complex, Oswego

Lunch 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.  Snack 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. Monday thru Friday, July 2 – August 17

Camp Zerbe, 235 State Route 104, Williamstown

Lunch 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Monday thru Friday, June 25- August 10

Church of the Holy Trinity 309 Buffalo St., Fulton

Breakfast 8:00 – 8:30 a.m. Monday – Friday, August 6 – August 10

Cleveland Park, 65 North St., Cleveland                

Breakfast 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. & Lunch 12:00-12:30 p.m. Monday thru Friday, July 9 – August 17

CNY Arts, 47 South 1st St, Fulton

Lunch 12:00 – 12:30 p.m. Monday thru Friday, July 9 - August 17

Fulton CYO, 808 West Broadway, Fulton                              

Breakfast 9:00 – 9:45 a.m. & Lunch 12:00 – 12:45 p.m. Monday thru Friday, July 9 – August 31

Fulton YMCA, 715 West Broadway St., Fulton    

Breakfast, 8:30 - 9:30 a.m. & Lunch 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Monday thru Friday, June 25 – August 24

Hamilton Homes, 96 Hamilton Street, Oswego              

Lunch, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. Monday thru Friday, July 2 - August 10       

Hannibal Recreation, 824 Co. Rt. 34, Hannibal           

Lunch, 11:30 – 12:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday (not open on Thursday), July 9 - August 17

Oswego YMCA, 265 West 1st Street, Oswego

Lunch, 11:30 – 1:00 p.m. & Snack 3:30 Monday thru Friday June 25 – August 31

Pulaski Recreation, Haldane Building, 16 Maple Ave. Ext., Pulaski                             

Breakfast, 8:00 - 9:30 a.m. Monday thru Friday & Lunch 11:15 - 1:00 p.m. Monday thru Thursday, July 2 - August 10

Taft Bay Park 851 St. Route 49, Bernhards Bay    

Lunch, 11:30 – 1:00 p.m. & Snack 2:30-3:00 p.m. Monday thru Thursday, June 27 - August 16

West Monroe Park 2 Depot Rd., West Monroe 

Lunch, 11:30-12:30 p.m. Monday thru Thursday, July 9 - August 9

Times and dates are subject to change.

“OCO Nutrition Services has sponsored the Summer Food Service program for the past 7 years and have served 119,000 meals to children in our communities,” said Halstead. “We are happy to be offering this program again and I encourage families to participate and remember that hunger doesn’t take a vacation.”

Acceptance and participation requirements for the program and all activities are the same for all regardless of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. For information on the program contact OCO Nutrition Services at 315-598-4712.

OCO, Inc. is a private, non-profit agency that has been supporting communities throughout Oswego County since 1966. A member agency of the United Way of Greater Oswego County, OCO provides more than 50 vital services throughout 100 separate locations. For more information, visit www.oco.org.