The Palm Beach County Food Bank in Lake Worth Beach is helping provide thousands of free meals to children this summer through Florida's Summer BreakSpot program, according to Food Bank leaders. The nonprofit organization said it supports more than 35 Summer BreakSpot sites across Palm Beach County, serving approximately 2,500 hot meals each day to nearly 1,250 children while school is out for the summer. According to the Palm Beach County Food Bank, the organization prepared more than 36,000 hot meals in June alone. The Summer BreakSpot program provides free meals to children and teens 18 and younger during the summer when school cafeterias are closed.
During a live Shining A Light broadcast on WPTV, Palm Beach County Food Bank CEO Jamie Kendall and Culinary Director Chef Doug Barg gave viewers a behind-the-scenes look inside the Michelle Hagerty Community Kitchen, where meals are prepared and loaded onto trucks for early morning deliveries across the county. Chef Doug Barg walked viewers through the food production process, showing how culinary teams prepare, package and organize meals before they are loaded onto delivery trucks. Jamie Kendall said the Food Bank's partnership with Summer BreakSpot helps ensure children continue receiving nutritious meals while school is out. The Palm Beach County Food Bank is located at 701 Boutwell Road, Suite A-1, in Lake Worth Beach.