Discover Summer Nutrition: Aiken Family Y Joins Local Sites to Feed Families in Need

The Family YMCA of Greater Augusta is back with its Cheryl’s Kitchen Summer Food Program, making sure kids and teens, ages 18 and under, don’t go hungry this summer. In collaboration with the USDA, the program runs until August 1, offering free meals at 46 locations—30 in South Carolina and 16 in Georgia.

Aiken County has several meal sites, including:

• North Augusta Apartments, 11 Azalea St. N., 3:30-4 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays
• Salley Apartments, 255 Popular St., Salley, 4:25-4:40 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays
• Wagener-Oakwood Apartments, 136 Seivern Road, Wagener, 5-5:30 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays
• Aiken County Family YMCA, 621 Trolley Line Road, Graniteville, 7:30-9 a.m. and noon to 2 p.m. Mondays through Fridays

This initiative is vital. In 2024 alone, the program served over 530,000 meals. Catie McCauley, CEO of the Family YMCA, stated, “Our Y ensures that children and families in every neighborhood have access to the nourishment they need to thrive.”

In addition to free meals, each YMCA branch in the Augusta area hosts a food pantry stocked with shelf-stable groceries, available to everyone on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. This is part of a growing trend; food insecurity remains a significant issue. According to a recent report, about 1 in 7 children in the U.S. face food shortages. Programs like this are crucial for bridging that gap.

If you want to contribute, there are opportunities to volunteer. For more details about the Summer Food Program and how to get involved, check out thefamilyy.org or call Amber at 706-922-9130.

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