Kids can now learn how to prepare basic meals while participating in Metro Parks’ food program

Metro Parks has added three more locations to its nutrition initiative providing meals to Nashville kids, aged 6 to 14, enrolled in the department’s after-school program within underinvested communities.

The federally sponsored Child and Adult Care Food Program “provides reimbursements for nutritious meals and snacks to eligible children and adults who are enrolled for care at participating child care centers, day care homes, and adult day care centers.”

It’ll now be available at the Looby, Hartman and Parkwood community centers, in addition to the six other sites already around the city. The expansion includes a new project that’ll introduce kids to basic meal preparation techniques.

“A lot of children that are older, they take care of their younger siblings while parents are at work,” says Tiffanie Fletcher, the coordinator for Metro Parks’ food program.

Fletcher says the goal is to not only feed more kids, but to teach them how to safely prepare small meals on their own.

“You have blended families, and some children have to help with their grandparents,” she adds. “Different variations may require a child to meal prep and prepare small, simple and healthy meals.”

Kids participating in the program will be expected to take part in at least one cooking project every month. It runs from Monday to Friday from 3 to 6 p.m.

The following nine community centers offer meals to youth enrolled in Metro Parks’ after-school program:

• Kirkpatrick Community Center, 998 Sevier St., Nashville, TN, 37206
• East Park Community Center, 600 Woodland St., Nashville, TN 37206
• Shelby Community Center, South 20th St., Nashville, TN 37206
• South Inglewood Community, 1625 Rebecca St., Nashville, TN 37206
• McFerrin Community Center, 315 Berry St., Nashville, TN 37207
• Parkwood Community Center, 3220 Vailview Dr., Nashville, TN 37207
• Napier Community Center, 73 Fairfield St., Nashville, TN 37210
• Hartman Community Center, 2801 Tucker Rd., Nashville, TN 37218
• Looby Community Center, 2301 Metro Center Blvd., Nashville, TN 37228