Meriden Groups Provide 60K Meals To Community

MERIDEN, CT - Last year, local nonprofit Change the Play distributed 9,000 meals to the community. This year, along with the help of the Maloney High School football team, the group has dramatically increased its goal and wants to serve up more than 60,000 meals.

"Food insecurity and poverty continue to be higher than before the recession began in late 2007; and the demand among individuals who continue to be in need of nutritious food continues to escalate," said Jason Teal, Change the Play's founder and the CT NAACP's 2nd vice president. "Given that food insecurity can negatively affect the health and well-being of children in our community, our organization launched CTP Meals to help make a dent in this problem."

The football players will be helping with onsite distribution of meals at the 12 sites. Five of these events are closed enrollment, and the other seven are open to the public.

"The Change of Play program is not only beneficial to the children we are feeding in Meriden but it has also benefits the volunteers," said Kevin Frederick, Maloney Spartans head football coach."In all it’s a rewarding experience for everyone involved."

Here are the 12 locations and times for meal distribution.

Washington Park, 444 Liberty Street Meriden, 1-3pm *6/18-7/20
Yale Acres, 31 Gilbert Rd Meriden, 1pm-3pm, 6/18-8/24
Casa Boricua, 204 Colony St Meriden, 1pm-3pm, 6/18-8/24
The Community room @ Chamberlain Heights, 20-22 Lourdes Court, 1pm-3pm, 6/18-8/24
Johnson Farms, 245 Village Lane Meriden, 1pm-3pm 6/18-8/24
Meriden Library, 105 Miller St Meriden, Noon-1pm, 6/18-8/24
Washington Park, 444 Liberty Street Meriden, 6:30pm-8:30pm, 7/23-8/24
Beat The Streets, 121 South Colony Street Meriden, 5:30pm-6:15pm, 6/18-8/24

If you are interested in volunteering, donating (in-kind or monetary), or know if a group of youth who would benefit from free meals please contact info@changetheplay.org or (203) 568-5302.

Image via Change the Play