Free meals truck returns to New Haven

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) -- New Haven's Food Truck is hitting the streets on a mission to keep city kids from going hungry.

Food trucks are very hot and trendy, but this one isn't trying to cash in, in fact it isn't taking any cash at all. It's giving away free food to kids.

Three out of four students in New Haven schools get free or reduced price meals during the school year.

"And that number is very high and then of those kids, only one in four participates in some kind of summer food program," said Timothy Cipriano, the New Haven Schools Food Services Executive Director.

To reach all the others who don't come to school programs, the school lunch program now comes to them.

"We're absolutely excited about it," said parent Ceria Fernandez.

The Applejacks for breakfast, that's a reduced sugar cereal. Other meals are going to include fresh fruit and salads.

"Last year they were giving food for every kid," said parent Denise Ramos.

They started doing this last year with just a truck and some coolers, and only for four weeks, but in that time they gave away 17,000 meals.
   
This year, the truck got an upgrade, and they will be handing out food from now right up until school starts. Officials say they expect to give away up to 1,000 meals a day. It's paid for with federal funds.

There are plenty of other city programs that feed kids during the summer, but Cipriano explains, "You have to get there. We want to bring the food to them so they can walk here and make it very accessible and very easy."

The truck makes ten stops every weekday for breakfast lunch and dinner.

2012 Food Truck Sites

Breakfast:

Church Street South
8:00 - 8:30 a.m.
91 Columbus Ave.

Galvin Playground Sprinkler
8:45 - 9:15 a.m.
416 Greenwich Ave

South Genessee Park Sprinkler
9:30 - 10:15 a.m.
35 S Genese St.

Lunch:

Galvin Playground Sprinkler
11:00 - 11:30 a.m.
416 Greenwich Ave

Kensington Park
11:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
37 Kensington St.

South Genessee Park Sprinkler
1:00 - 1:30 p.m.
35 S Genese St.

Supper:

Quinnipiac Park
4:00 - 4:30 p.m.
28 James St.

Church Street South
4:45 - 5:15 p.m.
91 Columbus Ave.

Betsy Ross Magnet School
5:30 - 6:00 p.m.
150 Kimberly Ave.

DeGale Field
6:15 - 6:45 a.m.
11 Bristol St.