FYI+ free summer food service in Las Cruces

Families & Youth Innovations Plus (FYI+) will launch its six-week Summer Food Service Program Monday, June 5, at more than 30 locations throughout Las Cruces and surrounding areas.

Children and youth ages 1-18 and adults with disabilities are eligible to visit any of the designated sites for free meals, FYI+ said in a news release. The program continues through Friday, July 14.

The program is managed by the State of New Mexico and is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture. The state works with multiple agencies like FYI+ “to ensure children across the state do not go hungry while school is out for summer break,” the news release said. FYI+ has been facilitating the program in Las Cruces since 1993.

“This year, FYI+ celebrates 30 years of providing this much-needed program,” said FYI+ Summer Food Program Manager Vanessa Uzueta. “And, we are happy to continue our service to children, youth and families in our community.”

FYI+ will employ 30 additional staff members to support the Summer Food Service Program, as approximately 1,500 meals a day will be delivered to about 30 site locations. The meals are prepared by Cravings Catering in Las Cruces in accordance with USDA guidelines for nutritious meals, FYI+ said.

To ensure each child receives a full meal and the best nutrition possible, children are required to eat meals on-site.

“Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of children and youth in need of healthy meals has increased tremendously,” Uzueta said, “This is why we work with so many sponsoring sites like parks, schools and community centers across our area to serve the needs of the community.”

A full list of meal service sites is at www.summerfoodnm.org. Some sites serve breakfast and lunch, while others only serve lunch or dinner.

The Summer Food Service Program will serve dinner on four dates during the City of Las Cruces Music in the Park Series and three dates during the city’s Movies in the Park series. The program will not provide meals on the national holidays of Juneteenth (Monday, June 19) or Independence Day (Tuesday, July 4).

The program will not provide meals on the national holidays of Juneteenth (Monday, June 19) or Independence Day (Tuesday, July 4).

FYI+ has been in operation since 1987 to promote a safer and healthier community by focusing on children and families. Its services include therapy, housing and shelter, mental health resources and outreach resources for LGBTQ+ community members.

For more information, call 575-522-4004. Visit fyiplusnm.org and follow FYI+ on Facebook and Instagram.

Meal service sites

Fielder Memorial Safe Haven Weed n Seed, 906 N. Tornillo St., breakfast: 8-9 a.m., lunch: noon=1 p.m.; Albert Johnson Park: 700 N. Main St., lunch: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; Apodaca Park: 801 E. Madrid Ave., lunch: 11 a.m.-noon; Boys and Girls Club, 330 W. Las Cruces Ave., breakfast: 8-9 a.m., lunch 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; Butterfield Community Center, 9350 Berry Patch Lane, lunch: 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.;

Camino Real Middle School: 2961 N. Roadrunner Parkway, breakfast: 7:30-8:30 a.m., lunch: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; Doña Ana Community Center, 5745 Ledesma Drive, lunch: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; East Mesa Rec Center, 5589 Porter Road, lunch: 11 a.m.-noon; Frank O’ Brien Papen Center: 304 W. Bell Ave., breakfast: 9-10 a.m., lunch: noon-1 p.m.; Gym Magic camps: 2341 Entrada Del Sol, breakfast: 8:30-9:30 a.m., lunch: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; 1712 W. Hadley Ave., lunch: 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.; J. Paul Taylor Academy: 402 W. Court Ave., breakfast: 7:45-8:45 a.m., lunch: noon-1 p.m.; Klein Park: 155 N. Mesquite St., lunch 11 a.m.-noon; Las Colinas Arroyo Park: 3401 Los Colinas Drive, lunch 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m.;

Lynn Middle School, 950 S. Walnut St., lunch: 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.; Meerscheidt Recreation Center: 1600 E. Hadley Ave., lunch: 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.; Metro Verde Splash Pad, 7125 Metro Park St.: lunch: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; NMSU 21st Century Learning, 1220 Stewart St. (NMSU campus), lunch: 11:15 a.m.-12:45 p.m.; Organ Community Center, 5880 Second St. (Organ, New Mexico), lunch: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; Parque De Cura Ramon Ortiz, 2251 Calle del Santiago (Mesilla), lunch: 11 a.m.-noon; Radium Springs, 12060 Lindbeck Road, lunch: 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m.; Sagecrest Park, 601 N. Roadrunner Parkway: lunch: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; Sierra Middle School, 1700 Spruce Ave., breakfast: 8-9 a.m., lunch: noon-1 p.m.; Sunset Hill Park, 3333 Lunarridge St., lunch: 11 a.m.-noon; The Village Gym Magic, 601 Espanola St., breakfast: 8:30-9:30 a.m., lunch: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; Tortugas Park, 3753 Tile Ave.: lunch: 11 a.m.-noon; Valley View Park, 750 Espina St., lunch: 11 a.m.-noon; Zia Middle School, 1300 W. University Ave., breakfast: 8-9 a.m., lunch: noon-1 p.m.

Dinner is served 5:30-6:30 p.m. Monday-Friday at these sites: Young Park, 850 S. Walnut St.; East Mesa Swimming Pool, 6151 Reynolds Drive; Benavidez Community Center, 1045 McClure Road.