MEDIA CONTACT: James Engle
561-297-3607, jengle@fau.edu

FAU Organizes Summer Food Service Program

BOCA RATON, FL (April 20, 2004) - As summer draws near, students at the Florida Atlantic University Campus Volunteer Center are preparing for the annual Summer Food Service Program. The program, partially funded by a grant from the Florida Department of Education, provides nutritionally balanced meals for nine summer camps in the Boca Raton, Deerfield Beach and Delray Beach areas during the months of June, July and August. All children, 18 and under, enrolled at the qualifying camp sites are eligible for meals at no charge. This year, over 950 underprivileged campers will benefit from the program.

The campers participating in this program are youths who receive free or reduced-price school lunches at area public schools during the school year. The summer Food Program helps relieve some of the financial burden of families by providing their children with adequate daycare and nutrition during the summer months. The program serves geographic areas of need where 50 percent or more of the children qualify for free and reduced-price meals during the school year.
James Engle, coordinator of the Dr. Daniel B. Weppner Campus Volunteer Center, is the program manager. Yara Sandoval and Frank Rodriguez, both FAU students, oversee the university's compliance with all state and federal guidelines.
The camps participating this year include: Carver Estates Youth Program, the Drug Abuse Foundation, G.A.T.E. Salvation Army, Milagro Center, Mt. Olive Christian School, Lois Martin Community Center, New Pines Neighborhood Center, Youth Activity Center and West Side Park Recreational Center.

Area businesses, restaurants and individuals sponsor the program each year and, without them, this program would not be possible. Donations make a difference in enabling this program to get better quality food to more underprivileged children as the need increases.

Although this program is partially funded by a grant from the Florida Department of Education, this grant only covers 70% of the cost of the program. Donations from local businesses and individuals are necessary to keep this program running. An account has been set up in the FAU Foundation to support this program. Checks can be made payable to the FAU Foundation / Summer Food Program and can be sent to: FAU Volunteer Center, UC 207, 777 Glades Rd., Boca Raton, FL 33431.

For more details on how to enroll a child at a camp sponsored by this program or to find out how you can support this program, please call the FAU Campus Volunteer Center at 561-297-3607.

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