Mayor Bowser Celebrates the Start of Summer Camps and Summer Meals for District Youth

(Washington, DC) As we speak, Mayor Bowser and the DC Division of Parks and Recreation (DPR) celebrated the kickoff of summer time programming initiatives and investments, together with the primary day of summer time camp, the beginning of the summer time meals program, the start of weekday out of doors pool operations for the summer time, and the launch of summer time.dc.gov, a complete record of free or low-cost actions for younger individuals. 

“With the beginning of summer time, which means the beginning of enjoyable, partaking alternatives for our youth at camp, at a summer time job, on the pool, at their library, and a lot extra,” stated Mayor Bowser. “We all know how essential it’s to maintain younger individuals engaged through the summer time, and we additionally know that it’s a community-wide effort. I’m grateful that our crew at DPR has made it a precedence to develop camp choices, to host extra actions at our swimming pools and rec facilities, and to create protected areas for youths and youths to play and study in all eight wards. Let’s have a protected, enjoyable summer time.”

This summer time, DPR is offering over 12,000 camp alternatives to DC residents with in-person choices, together with swimming, specialty sports activities, culinary, therapeutic recreation, and conventional camps. As well as, DPR Increase Camps are providing accelerated studying with school-based camps and new distinctive camps like robotics, journalism, and extra for District youth ages 11-13. Increase Camp alternatives are nonetheless obtainable; to register, go to dprboostcamps.splashthat.com.

Households may go to summer time.dc.gov or textual content SUMMER to 69866 for a listing of actions throughout the District for residents ages 18 and youthful. This one-stop-shop contains a calendar of occasions, community-based assets, and nonprofit organizations that present younger individuals with companies and programming to assist maintain them engaged.

With camp in session, DPR additionally formally started its DC Youth Meals program. This yr, the District launched a brand new youth meals partnership with SodexoMagic, a joint meals enterprise with Magic Johnson Enterprises, to supply two meals per day to 106 websites — both breakfast and lunch or lunch and a snack — supplied at no-cost to all youths ages 18 and below.

“We’re dedicated to delivering the best high quality meals and companies to the individuals of Washington D.C., and we stay up for sharing the ‘Magic’ with these communities,” stated Selena Cuffe, president of SodexoMagic.

As the biggest sponsor of meals within the District, DPR gives meals for DC youngsters with assist from the Workplace of the State Superintendent of Training (OSSE) and the US Division of Agriculture (USDA). DPR can be offering meals at 53 recreation facilities and 53 different associate websites below DPR’s sponsorship. Moreover, DC Central Kitchen can be offering cellular meals at eight DPR Outside Swimming pools. Meals can be found from June 28 – August 27. For extra info on obtainable meal websites and occasions, go to dpr.dc.gov/youthmeals.

“Securing a brand new meal associate means an interesting new menu for residents and we’re thrilled to crew up with SodexoMagic to supply entry to balanced and nutritious meals to the members of our communities who might in any other case go with out,” stated DPR Director Delano Hunter.

Moreover, the DCPS DC Youth Meals Program will start on July 5, 2022. By way of this program, DC youth 18 and below might obtain free breakfast and lunch meals at a number of DCPS websites all through the summer time. Households ought to go to bit.ly/summermealsatdcps for summer time areas and menus. DCPS emergency meal web site companies resulted in June.

Beginning this previous Monday, DPR’s out of doors swimming pools at the moment are open six days every week. For the working hours of every pool, go to dpr.dc.gov/outdoorpools.   

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