Jersey City To Host 50+ Sites Offering Free Summer Meals To Youth

JERSEY CITY, NJ — Jersey City announced it will roll out its summer food service program again this year, and expects a higher demand for meals as the COVID-19 pandemic set many families back financially.

The federally funded, state-administered summer program is run locally by Jersey City's Department of Health and Human Services. The program offers free breakfast and lunch to youth in Jersey City age 18 and younger in low-income areas from June 28th through August 27th.

The Summer Food Service Program is a federal program of the Food and Nutrition Services, United States Department of Agriculture.

The city has prepared 225,000 meals and will distribute them over the eight weeks at over 52 sites across the city. According to the city, at the height of the pandemic, HHS saw a 300 percent increase in demand for Meals on Wheels services.

The locations in Jersey City are below and can be viewed on a map online.

• Frank R Convwell School MS #4: 107 Bright Street
• Bus 1: 107 Bright Street
• Bus 2: 107 Bright Street
• PACO: 390 Manila Avenue
• Future Stars Daycare: 123 Brunswick Street
• Dr. Michael Conti School: 182 Merseles Street
• Rafael Cordero y Molina School #37: 158 Erie Street
• EXPLORE MIDDLE SCHOOL: 180 9th St
• BelovED Community Charter School: 508 Grand Street
• BelovED MS/HS: 531 Grand Street
• Hudson County Schools of Technology: 525 Montgomery Street
• Lafayette Aquatic Center: 303 Van Horne Avenue
• Rev. Dr. Ercel F Webb School #22: 264 Van Horne Street
• Monumental Baptist Church: 121 - 127 Lafayette Street
• Hudson Gardens: 29 Palisade Avenue
• House of Grace Church: 293 Pacific Avenue
• Julia A Barnes School #12: 91 Astor Place
• Martin Luther King Jr School #11: 886 Bergen Avenue
• Five Corners Branch Jersey City Free Public Library: 678 Newark Ave
• Dr. Lena Edwards Academic Charter School: 509 Bramhall Ave.
• Salem Baptist Church: 50 Clinton Avenue
• Joseph H Brensinger School #17: 600 Bergen Avenue
• Bus 8: 600 Bergen Avenue
• Salem Lafayette Court: 94 Union Street
• Golden Door: 3040 Kennedy Blvd.
• Miller Branch Jersey City Public Library: 489 Bergen Ave
• Mahatma K Gandhi School: 143 Romaine Avenue
• Bus 5: 143 Romaine Avenue
• Franklin L Williams School #7: 222 Laidlaw Avenue
• Community Treasures: 450 Martin Luther King Drive
• Ollie E Culbreth Jr School #14: 153 Union Street
• Mosdos of Greenville:925 West Side Ave
• Maureen Collier Senior Center: 335 Bergen Ave
• Martin Center for the Arts #41: 59 Wilkinson Avenue
• West Bergen Jersey City Public Library: 546 Westside Ave
• Little People's Fun / Academic Excellence: 195 Claremont Avenue
• Christa McAuliffe School #28: 167 Hancock Avenue
• Bus 3: 167 Hancock Avenue
• Cunningham Branch Jersey City Free Public Library: 275 Martin Luther King Drive
• Empowerment Academy Charter School: 211 Sherman Avenue
• Chaplain Charles J Watters School: 220 Virgina Avenue
• Nicholas Copernicus School #25: 3385 Kennedy Boulevard
• Pennrose: 322 Duncan ave
• Whitney M Young School #15: 135 Stegman Street
• Joseph Connors Center: 28 Paterson St
• Mary McLeod Bethune Center: 140 Martin L. King Jr. Dr.
• Trinity Faith Church: 1944 John F Kennedy Blvd
• University Academy Charter HS: 275 Westside Ave
• James F. Murray School #38: 339 Stegman Parkway
• Alfred E Zampella School #27: 201 North Street
• Triangle Park Community Center: 247 Old Bergen Road
• Webb Washington Summer: 15-21 Martin L. King Jr. Drive
• Dr. Maya Angelou School #20: 239 Ocean Avenue
• Jersey City Community Charter School: 128 Danforth Avenue

“It is critically important that we continue to support Jersey City families who are in need of food assistance, especially in our underserved communities,” said Mayor Steven Fulop. “This year we anticipate an even greater need as the pandemic has created tough circumstances for many of our residents. I encourage anyone in need to take advantage of these free meals. No registration is necessary. No questions asked.”

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, and reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

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:

(1) Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights

1400 Independence Avenue, SW

Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;

(2) Fax: (202) 690-7442; or

(3) Email: program.intake@usda.gov