2024 Summer Lunch Program
This year, we will be conducting bulk meal distributions; daily congregate meals will NOT be provided. Please follow the steps below if you would like to have your child receive food from this program.
Step 1: Pre-register your children by completing a short application (attached) and select your pick up location. Return the completed form to the front office of your child’s school as soon as possible.
Step 2: Food will be distributed at the sites listed below on either Sundays or Mondays. You MUST pick up food at the location that you have specified on your registration form. Parents/legal guardians are the only people permitted to pick up food for your child. Meals are only for children under the age of 18.
Step 3: Your child will receive breakfasts and lunches for five days. You will be responsible for preparing the food your child receives. A full menu with cooking instructions will be included.
Distribution Schedule:
Location | Start Date | Pick Up Time |
West Branch Area School District | Sundays from June 2 – August 11 | 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM |
Philipsburg Elementary | Sundays from June 2 – August 11 | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM |
Osceola Mills Elementary | Sundays from June 2 – August 11 | 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM |
Moshannon Valley Area High School | Sundays from June 2 – August 11 | 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM |
Wingate Elementary | Sundays from June 2 – August 11 | 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM |
Mountaintop Elementary | Sundays from June 2 – August 11 | 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM |
St. Mark’s Lutheran Church of Snydertown | Sundays from June 9 – August 11 | 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM |
Continental Courts | Mondays from June 10 – August 12 | 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM |
Marion Walker Elementary | Mondays June 10 – August 12 | 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM |
Jack Gido Food Awareness Summer Tour
Weekly Food Prep:
Participants will learn how to prepare vegetables and other nutritious foods using a Crock Pot. This class will focus on the importance of having healthy and nutritious foods available for kids. Each participant will receive their own Crock Pot to keep.
Class Dates:
- July 16: Bellefonte YMCA at 6 PM
- July 30: DiamondBack Truck Covers (Enterprise Road in Philipsburg) at 6 PM
Children’s Cooking Class:
This class will focus on teaching children basic cooking skills. They’ll learn to prepare simple meals and add healthy ingredients like vegetables, herbs, and more. They’ll even be challenged to create their own recipes to share with others.
Class Dates:
- July 25: DiamondBack Truck Covers (Enterprise Drive in Philipsburg) at 6 PM
Chop Project:
These classes will focus on teaching children how to cut vegetables and fruits properly using a knife. We’ll create a variety of meals and drinks including chopped salad, English cucumber salad, penne pasta, homemade lemonade, smoothies, and more! Classes will take place at the locations listed below.
Class Dates:
- June 25: Moshannon Valley YMCA at 6 PM
- July 9: Bellefonte YMCA at 6 PM
Cost and Registration:
The “Jack Gido Food Awareness Summer Tour Classes” are free for children thanks to support from the Jack Gido Family. You must register in advance as spaces are limited.
Food Distributions
Fresh Express Food Distribution Locations – Hosted by Central PA Food Bank
- Centre Hall – Progress Grange Fresh Express
- 1st Wednesday of every month at 1:30 PM
- Located at 217 S. Pennsylvania Ave in Centre Hall
- Philipsburg – Fresh Express
- 1st and 3rd Thursday of every month. Time depends on truck delivery – always in the morning.
- Located at the Chester Hill Fire Company on Walton Street in Philipsburg
- Snow Shoe – Fresh Express
- 1st and 3rd Thursday of every month at 12:00 PM
- Located at 268 Oldside Road in Clarence
- Houtzdale – Fresh Express
- 1st Thursday of every month at 12:00 PM
- Located at St. Barbara’s Church on 76 Emery Ave in Houtzdale
- Wingate – Fresh Express
- 2nd Thursday of every month at 5:00 PM
- Located at Bald Eagle Valley UMC on 111 Runville Road
- Howard – Fresh Express
- 1st Thursday and 3rd Friday of every month at 5:00 PM
- Located at Howard United Methodist Church on 144 W. Main Street in Howard
- Grace Lutheran Church – Fresh Express
- 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month from 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM
- Located at 205 S. Garner Street in State College
- Bigler YMCA – Fresh Express
- 1st and 3rd Monday of every month at 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- 61 Walker Road in Bigler
- Halfmoon Christian Fellowship Church – Fresh Express
- 1st and 3rd Monday of every month at 3:15 PM
- 1776 Halfmoon Valley Road
- Clearfield VFW – Fresh Express
- 1st Wednesday of every month at 4:00 PM
- Palestine UMC – Fresh Express
- 2nd Saturday of Every Month at 11:00 AM
- Schoonover Road
- St. Mark’s Lutheran Church – Fresh Express
- 3rd Thursday of Every Month at 4:00 PM
- 160 N. Main Street in Pleasant Gap
- Clearfield Drive-In Park – Fresh Express
- 3rd Thursday of every month at 5:00 PM
- Park Drive in Clearfield
For more information about these distributions, please contact the Central PA Food Bank at (570) 321-8023.
The Farm
“The Farm” is a project that has been made possible through a partnership with CenClear Child Services, who owns the property. This educational project is designed to teach children and families the importance of growing fruits and vegetables to support healthy eating habits. To start, the food that we harvest during our inaugural year will be distributed to families that we are currently serving at regularly scheduled food distributions. Long term, our goal is to have a learning kitchen to demonstrate how to prepare the foods we grow on the farm and continue to expand from there. We look forward to sharing more about this project with you!
Read more about “The Farm”:
Backpack Program
Students enrolled in the Backpack Program receive a backpack full of food each Friday (or the last day of school for the week) during the school year. Learn more or enroll a child by clicking on one of the documents below. For more information, contact Mel Curtis at [email protected]
Serving These School Districts
- Bald Eagle
- Philipsburg-Osceola
- Clearfield Area
- Bellefonte Area
- West Branch
- Cen Clear
- Penns Valley Area
- State College Area
- Moshannon Valley
- Soaring Heights School
- Young Scholars School
- Liberty Curtin Elementary
Mobile Feeding Programs
Travelin’ Table
We partnered with CenClear Child Services, The Central PA Food Bank, AmeriHealth Caritas, and Penn State Health to create the Travelin’ Table, a mobile feeding bus that will meet the needs of children in our community that do not have access to nutritious meals and other important resources they need to sustain healthy physical and mental growth.
The bus travels through the communities we serve to bring food and other resources directly to those who need them. No questions asked. It is equipped with a full kitchen to support distribution of healthy meals, healthcare education and screenings, and educational supplies and sports equipment to combat summer learning loss and encourage exercise.
Hometown Heroes Firetruck
The “Hometown Heroes” firetruck is a mobile feeding unit named after all the volunteers that have worked with the YMCA Anti-Hunger Program. Their dedication to this program, the long hours they have put in, and their passion for helping others has helped us increase our efforts tremendously.
Similar to the Travelin’ Table, this vehicle transports food across Centre County. It has made appearances at several food distributions, special food-related events, and educational events to help spread awareness about food insecurity in our communities.
Donate Today!
We’re committed to ensuring people in our community do not go hungry. If you are too, consider making a financial contribution to this program. Donations can be made in the following ways:
- By Mail: to YMCA of Centre County, Development Office, 677 W Whitehall Road, State College, PA 16801
- Online: click here to donate online
Donations to the YMCA of Centre County are tax-deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law. (Tax ID# 24-0802437) Together, we are building a stronger community, providing support for families, and promoting overall positive change. Thank you again for your support.
The official registration and financial information of YMCA of Centre County may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll free within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.
Volunteer Information
If you would like to volunteer at any of our sites or warehouse, please email: [email protected]. In your message, please include the following information: Name, phone #, email address, the school district/community area that you are willing to volunteer in, and what type of volunteer work you are willing to do (transport food to sites, volunteer at sites, volunteer for packing, or volunteer to pick-up donation).
For More Information:
Mel Curtis – 814-342-0889 or email [email protected]
All eligible children (those under the age of 18), have equal access to the benefits of these programs regardless of family income, race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. No child is turned away. To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint filing cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410. By fax: (202) 690-7442; or by email: [email protected]. The YMCA of Centre County is an equal opportunity provider.