By Kate Scriven
“Hunger doesn’t take a vacation” is the motto for the Lacey Parks and Recreation Department’s Playground Pals program. It’s also the reason the program has been running for twenty years, feeding and providing activities to local kids throughout the summer. With over 5,300 children receiving free or reduced-price meals every day in North Thurston Public Schools alone, the need is clear.
Kathy Owen, Recreation Supervisor and 20+ year veteran at Lacey Parks and Rec, began the Playground Pals Program in 1993 at Lydia Hawk Elementary School. The USDA’s Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), a government funded program, provides funding for meals throughout the summer in areas with significant numbers of low-income families. The need has increased dramatically with SFSP receiving $398 million in 2012, an increase of $131 million since 2000.
While USDA funds the food costs, the programs must be sponsored and organized locally. Costs to rent school sites, janitorial costs, and staffing are provided by the sponsoring group. That’s where Lacey Parks and Rec comes in. The cost is approximately $30,000 annually to administer the program at three school sites. A grant of $10,000 from NTPS covers one-third, the Lacey City Council provides one-half, and Owen raises an additional $5,000 per year.
Luckily, Thurston County residents see value in feeding and caring for our kids throughout the summer, providing them a safe and fun place to play and eat nutritious meals and snacks. Many area churches, the Lions Club, local Rotary Clubs, and many individuals support the program with donations. Individuals may also “Sponsor A Kid”, paying $2 a day up to $80 for the entire summer.
In 2012, the program served 19,670 lunches to area kids, eighteen and under – an average of 505 lunches per day. The food are “school” lunches, and the program is easy, fun, and accessible to anyone who shows up. Here are the details:
- Playground Pals is offered at three Lacey Schools: Lydia Hawk, Mountain View, and Pleasant Glade Elementary Schools.
- Lunch is served every day, June 24 – August 16 at Noon
- All children ages 18 and under eat for free – simply show up. No paperwork or requirements to join. Adults may eat for $3.50.
- Children ages 6 and up may stay after lunch for supervised structured play, crafts, playground time, and water games on hot days.
- A snack is served at 3pm before the program ends at 3:30.
- This is a FREE drop-in program. Families are encouraged to attend together and participants may come and go on their own schedule.
Sounds pretty great, right? Children and staff experience the joy that comes from close bonds formed in a summer daycamp setting.
“I feel this is the most important program we operate in the Parks and Recreation Department,” shares Owen. “My job is to serve the community and this program truly serves the entire population in Lacey and Thurston County, not just those who can afford a summer camp program.” And with hunger as a prevalent problem in our area, yet one that people often don’t like to talk about, the Playground Pals Program goes directly at the problem – nutritious meals with no strings attached.
Owen shared with me the story of a 12-year-old boy who walked over two hours each way with four younger siblings, some in strollers, some on bikes, to attend Playground Pals. He was in charge of the little ones and knew they could all eat and play all afternoon if they could just make it to Lydia Hawk. When staff realized he was travelling busy arterials, they arranged bus passes for the family, ensuring they could attend safely. His story is all too typical of kids home alone in the summer, needing both a good meal and something fun to do during long summer days.
One way to support Playground Pals is by buying discounted Wild Waves Tickets. Simply stop into the Lacey Parks and Rec office, located on the main floor of Lacey City Hall, and purchase Wild Waves passes for $28 each. This price is a significant discount over regular admission and can be used all summer. And, just over two dollars of each ticket goes directly to the Playground Pals Program. The office is open from 8am to 5pm Monday through Friday and is just off I-5 at 420 College St. SE.
Childhood hunger isn’t fun. It’s not a topic discussed at a birthday party or on the side-lines of a soccer game. But it’s a real issue facing families throughout Thurston County and one that can be helped through the Playground Pals Program. Not only are kids getting full stomachs every day, but full hearts from the fun, care, and compassion provided by the Lacey Parks and Rec Staff.
“One of the biggest joys of my job,” shares Owen, “is to employ over 45 summer employees for our programs. I tell them that they have no idea of the impact they will have on a young person. Playground Pals is so much more than just lunch. The staff there created a whole summer for the kids. It’s the educational and recreational opportunities they have and the relationships they form with the staff. These experiences are something they will remember for a lifetime.”
City of Lacey Parks and Recreation Department
420 College St. SE
Lacey, WA 98503
360-491-0857
