What Does F4K Do?

Our MISSION:

Food 4 Kids works to alleviate childhood hunger and promote literacy on the Lower and Outer Cape by bringing together The Church of the Holy Spirit (Episcopal) and local communities to provide free meals and free books for children and teens in the summer when schools are out.

Food 4 Kids (F4K) operates as part of the Massachusetts Summer EATS program, our state’s branding for the federally funded USDA Summer Food Service Program.

Each summer weekday that school is out, we serve free meals and distribtue free books to 450 – 850 local Cape kids. Meals are served where the kids are — local recreation and community programs, libraries, parks/public spaces. Children do not have to be enrolled in a program to receive a free meal. Families are welcome to bring their children to any of our locations for a free meal.

You can find us in the following towns — visit our Locations page for details.

HARWICH | EASTHAM | CHATHAM | WELLFLEET | BREWSTER
| TRURO | ORLEANS | PROVINCETOWN

Our community partners do the wonderful work and great programming that bring children and youth together in fun, friendly and safe environments where they enjoy our meals. Many of our sites are Grab and Go, increasing the accessibility of a free meal. Families can simply pick up the number of meals needed for the kids at home.

Each season, we:

• Partner with local organizations as much as possible to coordinate food purchasing and meeting the needs of local families.

• Carefully plan our menus with nutrient-dense breakfasts, lunches, and snacks that are PEANUT/TREE FREE and appeals to kids.

• Prepare fresh meals Monday - Friday at The Church of the Holy Spirit in Orleans.

• Deliver meals and books to each of our sites.

• Provide staff (based on site needs), and train Site Supervisors who serve meals to the children and teens.

• Coordinate special programs to encourage children to attend, take a meal, and broaden their palette.

  • Literacy - Free books: Our books are not just good reads – they are carefully chosen to be age-appropriate and to speak to diversity and inclusion. Local sources of books are: donation from Friends of the Brewster Ladies Library - new books via Brewster Book Store, and Belonging Books.

  • Literacy enrichment - Food 4 Kids sponsors live performances by the Harwich Junior Players and an author event featuring GPa Rhymes who will lead the kids through a poetry and rapping activity.

  • Nutrition - Special enrichment nutrition classes and daily games facilitated by Site Supervisors to encourage kids to try everything in their lunch and win a prize.

We do all this with a small team and amazing group of volunteers.

• Year-round, part-time Executive Director who ensures the sustainability and success of the program.

• Seasonal Operations Manager who manages all the details for our daily operations including meal planning, food purchasing, oversight of on-site team, and much more.

• 2 Seasonal Operations Assistants who support the Operations Manager, coordinate volunteers, oversee the packing link and Grab & Go at the church, and generally make daily operations go smoothly and quickly.

• Seasonal, part-time Program Manager who coordinates meals sites and Site Supervisors, and ensures we meet DESE regulations and reporting.

• Seasonal, part-time Kitchen Manager who contributes to meal planning and oversees all meal preparation by volunteers.

• Seasonal, part-time Site Supervisors who serve meals, give out free books, and run occasional nutrition games at select meal sites across our service area.

• 180+ Volunteers, many of whom return every year to help spread love through food and community!