Three years ago, Branford Public Schools began offering free breakfast and lunch to local kids every Monday through Friday, all summer long, served at Branford High School(BHS) and Mary R. Tisko School. With the need still growing, this summer, free lunches have been added at John B. Sliney elementary school and also as part of Community Dining Room’s (CDR) Tuesday night family dinners (the first Tuesday of June, July and August) on the Branford Green.

“The first year, we did 9,000 meals in six weeks,” said Superintendent of Schools Hamlet Hernandez, who advocated for the program and helped garner a USDA grant to bring it to town. “Last year, we did over 13,000 in eight weeks. In Branford, in a very short period of time -- six years -- we’ve gone from just about one in five children being eligible for free and reduced (school) meals to one in four. This is great program because we’re really able to reach a tremendous amount of kids and give them that food and security during the day, and then they can get on with their different activites.”

USDA affiliate End Hunger CT’s Shannon Yearwood, Director of Child Nutrition Programs, told Hernandez he’s helped Branford make a significant difference in the lives of many here. “I applaud the community and I applaud your leadership for being able to bring the folks together and for making it a priority for the community,” Yearwood said.

While the meals are being made available to ensure kids 18 and under receive delicious, nutrious varieites of breakfast and lunch foods served up by BPS school dinning service provider Chartwells; parents and guardians are welcome, too. The program also actively provides free meals to kids arriving with Branford Parks and Recreation summer camps and Soundview YMCA summer camp programs.

On Friday, June 24, End Hunger CT “blitzed” Branford with an event on the town green that gathered volunteers in high-visibility orange T-shirts broadcasting, “Ask Me about Free Summer Meals.” The volunteers then fanned out and spread the news on Free Summer Meals with printed cards, flyers and door hangers. Volunteers included Hernadez, Soundview YMCA Executive Director Doug Shaw, Board of Education member John Prins, Sliney School principal Margaret-Mary Gethings and Tisko school principal Jim O’Connor and CDR, Parks and Rec and Chartwells representatives.

Shaw shared a poignant story about a family that will benefit from the program this summer.

“Last week, we had a single mother with three kids that came in worked with my youth director. She really couldn’t afford to send her kids to summer camp -- she was really struggling,” said Shaw.

Soundview Y provided the family with a unprecedented full scholarship for the ten-week camp and then added in the news about free summer meals.

“When we told them about this program, one of the little kids turns to mom and says ‘...we’re going to still be able to have lunch!’,” said Shaw, who also helped set the family up to receive weekend pre-packed meals supplied through another local partnership program, Feed Branford Kids.

“At that point, the mom just broke down crying,” said Shaw. “That’s the reason why we’re all here today; to help out these families that all so desperately need us.”

From Monday - Friday, June 20 through August 12, BHS and Tisko service provides free breakfast (7:30 a.m. - 10 a.m.) and free lunch (10:30 a.m. - 12:30); Sliney service provides free lunch (10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.). Upcoming CDR “Fun, Food, and Games” free picnic dinner and activities are set for Tues. July 5, and Tues. August 2 on the Branford Green at 5:30 p.m; families with children encouraged. For more information on Free Summer Meals, visit www.CTSummerMeals.org