Minneapolis, MN – The Sheridan Story and the YMCA of the North, a leading nonprofit dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, are partnering to provide free, nourishing food to families in the community to ensure youth have food in August before school starts.

A little-known but significant food gap exists in August when summer school has ended, but the school year has yet to begin. Many children who rely on the free and reduced meal programs at school find themselves with limited access to nutritious meals.

To fill this food gap, The Sheridan Story has prepared 10,000 bags of food that will be available throughout the community. From August 9 through August 30, families can stop by the front desk at any YMCA of the North location, as well as a few additional partner locations, and ask for a free bag of food. YMCA membership is not required. Supplies are limited.

“We are grateful to partner with The Sheridan Story to ensure all of our families in our community have access to food during summer break and no child goes hungry,” said Glen Gunderson, president and CEO of the YMCA of the North.  “The YMCA is committed to working with community partners to address the more than 200,000 children in Minnesota who live with food insecurity by providing education, access and support.”

 “Many children don’t have access to food in August when summer school is over and the new school year hasn’t started yet,” said Rob Williams, executive director of The Sheridan Story.  “In fact, more than 15 percent of the children in Minnesota face empty kitchen cupboards. We are fortunate to partner with the YMCA and other partners to close the summer break food gap.”

For more information, visit https://www.thesheridanstory.org/

WHO: The YMCA of the North and The Sheridan Story

WHAT: To ensure youth and their families have nutritious food during August before school starts, the community can get a free bag of food while supplies last.

WHERE: Ask at the front desk of any YMCA of the North location for the bag of food. For additional locations, visit www.thesheridanstory.org/

WHEN: August 9 through August 30 and please check www.thesheridanstory.org/ for specific hours.

About the YMCA of the North

The YMCA of the North is a leading nonprofit dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.  Established 163 years ago, the Ys provide life-strengthening services across the greater Twin Cities metro region, southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin communities.  The 29 Y locations and program sites, eight overnight camps, 10 day camps, and more than 90 child care sites engage more than 370,000 men, women and children of all ages, incomes and backgrounds.  To learn more about the Y’s mission and work, visit www.ymcamn.org.

About The Sheridan Story

Over 200,000 children in Minnesota live in food insecurity – they don’t always know if they’ll have food for their next meal. In order to fight this devastating reality, The Sheridan Story focuses on the food gaps, the times throughout the year when children aren’t able to receive free and reduced meal programs at school. In the last six years, The Sheridan Story has grown from serving one school with a weekend food program to implementing multiple food gap programs serving over 9,700 children across 271 locations. This June, they embarked on their biggest effort yet during the summer, to provide 100,000 meals to children in our community.