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Fifty-eight % of children in Seymour’s school district receive free and reduced-price meals at school, but for many students, meals aren’t a guarantee when they go home. For families who are worried about making ends meet, Seymour YMCA provides out-of-school meals for children to reassure families that their kids are being nourished.

In the small town of Seymour, places like the YMCA are important to provide a safe space for kids to socialize, learn and get nutritious meals and snacks when they’re not in school. Seymour YMCA is not just a place to go; it’s a place to grow.

Seymour child care director Rachel Hunter has worked with the Ozarks Family YMCA – which has locations in Seymour, Mountain Grove, Cabool and Willow Springs – for 13 years. She’s watched many children grow up through the program, sharing, “I know we’re making a difference when I see kids that were in the program before and they’re all grown up and graduated and you’re just like, yeah, they did turn out to be a good person and went on the right course.”

The Seymour YMCA offers afterschool and summer care because staff are dedicated to making sure children have a safe space to learn and grow when school is out, which is especially important in a rural area like Seymour where afterschool and summer options are limited. Seymour YMCA’s programming includes enriching activities, homework help and, of course, meals and snacks.

The Food Bank supports Seymour YMCA’s afterschool and summer programs by delivering food each month and assisting with the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), two federally funded programs that help children have nutritious meals after school and over the summer months. These meals and snacks are crucial to children’s mental and physical growth. It’s hard for kids to just be kids when they’re hungry.

As Rachel has observed, “I know for some of the kids, all they have to eat is when they’re in school. Ozarks Food Harvest provides snacks for kids that are hungry, and it has impacted them. The kids are always wanting to know what we’re going to eat. They know they’re going to get fed whenever they come here.”

Regular meals give children a sense of security and wellness, and it’s thanks to caring staff that the kids feel supported. Rachel appreciates the caregivers at Seymour YMCA for going above and beyond to give children a positive experience. For example, each day when kids request to listen to a song, staff make it into a dance party for laughs and exercise. In April, the Seymour YMCA put together an unforgettable solar eclipse party, complete with solar eclipse glasses and moon cookies.

“The Seymour Y is a good, safe place for kids to go,” said Rachel. “My workers are just really wonderful with the kids. I’m really fortunate to have them, and the kids are fortunate to have caregivers that care about them so much.”

For parents and guardians in the Seymour area wondering where to send their children when school is out, the Seymour YMCA offers a safe space for children to just be. Child care staff also help families figure out if they qualify for subsidy pay to help cover part or all of their enrollment cost, and caregivers have experience with children in the foster care system.

Ozarks Food Harvest is glad to partner with an organization that lifts up local children. To learn more about Ozarks Family YMCA, visit ofymca.org