“This is where all the magic happens, here we prepare food for both the community and the camp programs we have here.”
For nearly a decade, Yeannie Ortega has dedicated her life to feeding children in the city’s public schools.
“Sometimes people don’t realize how much work and effort there is, and the dynamics in a school food kitchen are incredible,” Yeannie said. “But it’s not just me who is supposed to know, and to offer it to the community, to the community and to the children who are here in the building.”
From preparing early morning breakfasts to nutritious lunches and snacks, Yeannie and her team’s work is crucial to hundreds of students, especially during summer break.
“Well, we serve between 900 and 1000 different types of lunches every day, including hot and cold ones.”
-So, you mean one of these little bags, either with a snack or a hot meal, a sandwich, that can go to the home of some New Yorker or child who is in need right now?
“Indirectly, every child who stands in line to eat with us, whether it is hot or cold, has their daily meal taken care of,” Yeannie added. “Knowing how difficult the situation is outside, knowing that there are parents just like me, it is difficult for us to bring something normal like food for our children, and the satisfaction of knowing that I can help all the children who come to eat, makes me feel very, very happy.”
Through the Summer Meals program, more than 100 locations across the city are offering free breakfasts and lunches, ensuring that they not only fill stomachs, but also support the overall well-being of children during the school break months.
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“We are here to help. ‘You are hungry, come, Monday to Friday, breakfast, lunch. We are not going to ask you any questions’ and the community is very important to us and the way to show it is this, by serving them.”
For Ortega, this task goes beyond cooking; it is a way of caring for and nurturing children as if they were her own.
“For me, one of the most important things is that children have lunch and breakfast, because many times they only see this food.”
Until August 30, children under 18 can enjoy these free meals at libraries, parks and other community sites.
For more details on hours, menu and exact locations, visit the website schools.nyc.gov/SummerMeals.
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