Food Finds

Hot Meals at tHe Club

S BY Rick Steven

Lois Allen, age 9

Mayrin Galvan, age 9

On any given school day our Clubs are filled with excitement and fun. Our members come to the Club to be in a safe place, engage with caring adults, have fun and be exposed to many different opportunities they would not get anyplace else after school. One of the most significant opportunities offered to our members is a free, healthy meal.

Meals served at the Club are funded in part through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Child and Adult Care Food Program and Summer Food Service Program. The Club provides a hot meal for members after school and a breakfast and lunch during school breaks at all Club house locations. The chefs at the Club have worked hard to get input from members to continuously develop the menu into products the members love to eat that are also nutritious. The result has been hot meals that kids are excited about eating.

As in all areas of the Club, members are a crucial component of the meal service. From busing tables and washing dishes to serving and helping package meals, our members have the chance to play an active role in our food program every day. Being able to work in our kitchens allows members to learn job skills, take ownership of the Club and realize the enjoyment of giving back to their Club.

This year, our Club is on track to serve more than 330,000 meals to members at our Club house sites. These meals are prepped and prepared in our very own kitchens lead by12 food service employees, including 2 chefs, 9 cooks and 1 food truck driver. We also have a partnership with the Food Bank of Northern Nevada that enables us to serve food at several of our Club’s school site locations.

Here at the Club, we understand that our members are happier and perform better when they are well fed. Our food program ensures kids’ bellies are full before they finish homework, head outside to the playground or join in on a game with friends. Great futures are fueled at the Boys & Girls Club of Truckee Meadows.

This year, our Club is on track to serve more than 330,000 meals to members at our Club House sites