Caterer Charleen Doubie started her day around 11 a.m. on Monday at the Boys and Girls Club of Alpena, slicing fresh oranges and dumping noodles into industrial-size containers.
Doubie was preparing for the club’s first day of summer and the start of their Meet up and Eat Up program.
“Today we are having goulash,” Doubie said. “It’s more of a family-style meal.”
She was preparing enough portions for hundreds of kids. Doubie has been catering for the club since 1998, when the Meet Up and Eat Up program started.
Doubie and her crew’s goal is to ensure every kid has the opportunity to eat before starting their day.
The Meet Up and Eat Up program, also known as the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), is a statewide initiative to help provide meals to kids and teenagers who struggle with food insecurity throughout the summer.
The Boys and Girls Club of Alpena is one of hundreds of locations around the state participating in the Meet Up and Eat Up program.
Currently, there are nine SFSP sites around Northeast Michigan:
- TriPoint Church of God, Alpena
- Boys and Girls Club, Alpena
- Hillman-Montmorency County Public Library, Hillman
- Atlanta-Montmorency County Public Library, Atlanta
- Lewiston-Montmorency County Public Library, Lewiston
- Rogers City Elementary School, Rogers City
- St. Ignatius Catholic Church School, Rogers City
- Onaway Elementary School, Onaway
- Industrial Arts Institute, Onaway
Feeding America found that nearly 1 in 5 kids in Michigan deal with food insecurity and in the northeast part of the state, around 23% face this challenge.
Brad Somers, CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Alpena, said programs like Meet Up and Eat Up help keep kids fed and allow them to be more engaged.
“They have one less thing to worry about, so they have fun, they engage, they socialize and make friends, they learn things and that's the goal,” Somers said. “It's not just a meal to the kids, it's helping with the way of life. It's helping support that family structure and community structure that we have.”
He said that anyone under the age of 18 is welcome, whether they are a registered club member or not. The only information they request is a name.
“We just have to be notified at the front desk when they come, but we don't ask any questions,” Somers said. “The more people we can feed, the better.”
The Boys and Girls Club of Alpena serves lunch at noon and snacks later in the evening every day.
As for the other SFSP sites, each location has different times and meals they serve.
To find a site near you, click HERE.
