PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contacts: Amy Lewis, for CKC Good Food, 651.450.9222, amy@renowmarketing.com Kyle Knudson, 651-793-6624 Ext. 202 or 651-328-3849, kyle@cclaonline.org Mike Krance, Second Harvest Heartland, 651.484.5117 CKC GOOD FOOD, SECOND HARVEST HEARTLAND AND CONCORDIA CREATIVE LEARNING ACADEMY PARTNER TO PROVIDE 15,000 FREE MEALS TO KIDS THIS SUMMER Saint Paul, Minn., June 20, 2013 – CKC Good Food, Second Harvest Heartland and Concordia Creative Learning Academy (CCLA) have partnered to provide more than 15,000 free meals to kids in the Twin Cities’ east metro area this summer. As part of the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Minnesota Department of Education, the partnership ensures children 18 years of age and younger receive adequate nutrition from June 10 through August 31. “Working with CCLA and Second Harvest through the Summer Food Service Program, we will be able to provide children with much-needed, nutritional meals throughout the summer. The end of school should not mean the end of decent meals for kids,” said Nancy Close, president of CKC Good Food. “Now we just need to make sure parents and kids know about the availability of the free meals. In the past, getting them to participate in the program has been the biggest obstacle to fully realizing its potential.” CKC Good Food will provide meals in accordance with the USDA’s Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act summer meal guidelines. As part of the partnership, Second Harvest Heartland has provided a grant to CCLA to help them increase their capacity to provide free meals and increase the awareness of the program in the community. “CKC Good Food has been instrumental in connecting us with feeding sites in the east metro,” said Kyle Knudson, SFSP manager for CCLA. “We could not be a sponsoring organization without its support. And the grant from Second Harvest gives us the resources to make this initiative possible. It takes time and money to let the community know about these free meals and equipment to serve the meals.” The meal service will begin soon at five locations: CCLA (Sponsoring Site): 930 Geranium Avenue East, St. Paul o June 10 – Aug. 2; Closed July 1-5 o Breakfast: 9-10 a.m. o Lunch: 11-1 p.m. Contact: Kyle Knudson, 651-793-6624 Ext. 202 or 651-328-3849 FamilyMeans Landfall: 50 Aspen Way, Landfall, Minn. o June 17-Aug. 30; Closed Fridays; July 4, 5; Aug. 16,19,20,21 o Lunch 12:30-1 p.m. o Snack 2:30-3 p.m. Contact: Erin Patchin, 651-730-1046 FamilyMeans Cimarron: 901 Lake Elmo Avenue North, Lake Elmo, Minn. o June 13-Aug. 30; Closed Fridays, and July 4 and 5 o Lunch 12:30-1 p.m. o Snack 2:30-3 p.m. Contact: Jaime Staska, 651-414-9135 About Second Harvest Heartland Second Harvest Heartland, the Upper Midwest’s largest hunger-relief organization, works to reinvent hunger relief through leadership and innovation—to help those who are hungry today, as well as provide the means for those who are hungry to be fed tomorrow. Pioneering partnerships and programs paved the way for Second Harvest Heartland to distribute more than 76 million pounds of grocery products last year to hungry seniors, families and children through nearly 1,000 non-profit member agencies and programs serving 59 counties in Minnesota and western Wisconsin. For more information, visit 2harvest.org or call 651.484.5117. About CCLA Concordia Creative Learning Academy (CCLA) is a pre-kindergarten through 8th grade charter school in Saint Paul. Established in 1998, its students develop self-confidence through their accomplishments and a sense of empowerment to pursue their dreams. With an enrollment of 430 students, CCLA succeeds in closing the achievement gap through the delivery of a rigorous curriculum and individualized learning. The school operates under an extended year calendar and offers after-school tutoring, as well as before and after school care. All students receive free breakfast and lunch. Small class sizes (22:2 student to staff ratio) and a highly qualified and dedicated staff offer an inclusive, multicultural community atmosphere where students have a safe place to learn and overcome adversity. CCLA ignites a desire to achieve and inspires students’ hope for a bright future. Go to www.CCLAonline.org for more information. About CKC Good Food CKC Good Food is a Saint Paul, Minn.-based catering company that specializes in creating delicious, nutritious meals for charter, private and public schools. The company provides over 20,000 lunches, breakfasts and snacks total each day to school students. Known for tasty meals and a rigorous approach to children’s nutrition, CKC Good Food is an industry leader in adhering to the federal government’s new HHFKA (Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act) standards for school lunches. For more information, visit www.ckcgoodfood.com. ###