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MCC Daily Tribune

USDA Summer Food Service Program to Provide Nutritious Meals for 750 Healthy Heroes

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) provides free nutritious meals and snacks to children and teens during the summer months via selected sites, including Monroe Community College. Thanks to a $105,000 USDA grant, participants in MCC’s Be A Healthy Hero Summer Camp will receive nutritious meals between June 27 and July 29, 2022.

Now in its eighth year*, the five-week Be A Healthy Hero Summer Camp motivates Rochester-area children, ages 6 to 13, to stay physically and intellectually active. This year alone, the camp will educate 750 children in math and language arts and provide sessions on nutrition, character development, music, drug and alcohol avoidance, and teambuilding. In addition to promoting positive behavior, the camp helps reduce health and learning declines that sometimes occur over the summer months.

The camp is made possible with the generous support of the Greater Rochester Health Foundation, ESL Charitable Foundation, Glover-Crask Charitable Trust, United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes, Konar Foundation, and the Rochester Area Community Foundation, in partnership with the MCC Foundation.

Led by MCC Program Director Elizabeth Fell Kelly, Ed.D., the camp incorporates:

  • 20 hours per week of fitness activities such as swimming, Zumba, yoga, football, basketball, volleyball and lacrosse
  • 10 hours of high-quality academic enrichment programs in reading and mathematics aimed at eliminating summer learning loss
  • Health education instruction in proper nutrition, character development, drug and alcohol avoidance, teambuilding and personal decision-making
  • Healthy breakfasts and lunches every day
  • Bus transportation between several city of Rochester sites and MCC

Twenty-four junior counselors, ages 13 to 18, selected and funded by RochesterWorks! will assist in instruction, mentoring and role modeling. An additional 25 youth volunteers are also gaining experience assisting with the program.

To support the Be A Healthy Hero Summer Camp, contact the MCC Foundation at (585) 262-1500 or mccf@monroecc.edu.

Monroe Community College is an equal opportunity provider.

* The camp was not held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rosanna Yule
Community Relations
06/24/2022