Kyle Devlin, Teacher at New Hanover High School
Food Services
At the Y, we know that food is fuel for growing bodies and a critical part of development. That's why we are working to ensure that children in our childcare programs and beyond have access to nutritious food. The YMCA of Southeastern NC participates in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and the Summer Food Services Program (SFSP), USDA programs that support our Food Services department through reimbursements and nutrition guidelines.
Summer Food Services Program (SFSP) Non-Congregate Meal Sites
In Summer 2024, the YMCA of SENC was approved to start serving non-congregate meals in rural areas through SFSP. With 5 distribution sites across 3 different counties (Brunswick, Pender, Sampson) the YMCA distributed 27,243 breakfasts and 27,243 lunches, equating to roughly 365,383 lbs of food.
In Summer 2025, we will be returning to our 5 sites from last year and adding 2 more sites in Brunswick County. We are also adding another site in Harnett County through our partnership with the YMCA of the Sandhills. This program is available for all children and teens ages 18 and under who are not already participating in one of our summer feeding programs. Children will each receive one box of 7 days of breakfasts and lunches each week until school starts.
SCHEDULE FOR SUMMER 2025 (pending approval):
Brunswick County (May 30th - August 22nd):
- Fridays from 9am - 11:30am: Brunswick Family Assistance (929 Old Ocean Hwy - Bolivia, NC)
- Fridays from 10:30am - 11:30am: Southport Presbyterian (1025 E Moore St - Southport, NC)
- Fridays from 3pm - 4:30pm: Camp UMC (4807 Main St - Shallotte, NC)
Register for Brunswick County:
English: ymcasenc.org/freesummermeals/2025-form-brunswick
Spanish: ymcasenc.org/freesummermeals/2025-form-brunswick-esp
Harnett County (June 5th - August 7th):
- Thursdays from 4pm - 6pm: Word Education Church (26 Word Church Ln - Lillington, NC)
Register for Harnett County:
English: ymcasenc.org/freesummermeals/2025-form-harnett
Spanish: ymcasenc.org/freesummermeals/2025-form-harnett-esp
Pender County (May 27th - August 20th):
- Tuesdays (5/27 - 8/19) from 1pm - 2pm: Camp Kirkwood (2015 Camp Kirkwood Rd - Watha, NC)
- Wednesdays (5/28 - 8/20) from 10am - 11am: Paul's Place (11725 US Hwy 117 S - Rocky Point, NC)
- Wednesdays (5/28 - 8/20) from 12pm - 1:30pm: Family Dollar (200 W Wilmington St - Burgaw, NC)
Sampson County (May 27th - August 5th):
- Tuesdays from 3:30pm - 5pm: Sampson YMCA (417 E Johnson St - Clinton, NC)
Register for Pender/Sampson County:
English: ymcasenc.org/freesummermeals/2025-form-pendersampson
Spanish: ymcasenc.org/freesummermeals/2025-form-pendersampson-esp
Pre-registration is not required for this program, but it is recommended to save time at pick-up. Boxes are first-come, first-serve, but registering does not guarantee you a box so please arrive as early as possible to ensure you receive a box.
Y Super Snacks
Through our participation in the CACFP and SFSP, we are able to provide a nutritious, 5-component super snack (Milk, Meat/Meat Alternative, Vegetable, Fruit, and Whole Grain) at all of our qualifying Afterschool and Summer Camp sites. Watch the video below to learn more about our Y super snacks and the difference a healthy meal can make to a hungry child.
Afterschool Care
Our YMCA Afterschool Program follows Healthy Eating and Physical Activity (HEPA) standards by offering a healthy snack ("Super Snacks") and plenty of indoor and outdoor playtime. We also provide homework help and enrichment activities, including nutrition education.
Summer Camp
Our YMCA Summer Camps offer plenty of opportunities for physical activity, enrichment time, and fun! Through SFSP, we are able to offer the kids in our program a 3-component breakfast (Milk, Grain, and Fruit/Vegetable) and our 5-component Super Snack (Milk, Meat/Meat Alternative, Vegetable, Fruit, and Grain) every day at camp.
Our Impact
Through CACFP, we serve our super snacks at 22 afterschool care sites in New Hanover, Brunswick, and Sampson County. We also serve children when they are not in school during our holiday and intercession camps.
Through SFSP, we serve a 3-component breakfast and a 5-component super snack at 8 of our summer camp locations in New Hanover, Brunswick, Pender, and Sampson County.
Currently, our Y also has 8 afterschool sites and 2 summer camp sites that are not in areas of eligibility, meaning they cannot participate in CACFP or SFSP. These sites receive a daily 2-component snack (any combination of Meat/Meat Alternative, Fruit, Vegetable, and Grain) funded by the YMCA.
With our federally-funded programs, we are able to donate leftovers and extra unopened food to a local homeless ministry, food bank, or area schools within New Hanover, Brunswick, Sampson, and Pender County, totaling over 10,000 pounds in 2023. This also allows us to educate our afterschool children on the importance of minimizing food waste by providing them with a “share box” instead of a trash can. We use this opportunity to explain to the kids that they are actively making a difference in the community by "sharing" any of their unopened snacks instead of throwing them away.
Below is a list of our partners that we are working with to minimize food waste and provide for the community:
- Nourish NC
- First Fruit Ministries
- New Hanover County Schools
- Brunswick County Schools
- Sampson County Schools
- Pender County Churches
- Brunswick County Churches
Get Involved
Donate
Our Y has 8 Afterschool Care sites and 2 Summer Camp sites that cannot participate in the CACFP or SFSP. Because of this, the Y is funding costs to feed the children in these programs. Any contributions made will go directly to supporting the continued growth of these food programs.
Volunteer
We always appreciate an extra set of hands around the Y, so click the link below if you would like to volunteer with our Food Program! Volunteer tasks include sorting donated food, bagging up food to be distributed, assisting with food shipments, and delivering donations to our partners.
Meet the Director
Amy Hobbs
Amy Hobbs, Food Services Director, has many years of experience with the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). In 2024, she became certified as a CACFP Management Professional (CMP) and a CACFP Child Nutrition Professional (CCNP), laying the groundwork for our food program to expand and serve even more children."I have nearly 13 years of experience with the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and acquiring my certification in CACFP Management and CACFP Child Nutrition demonstrates the commitment I have to these federally funded programs. It allows me to show that the required training has been completed to support CACFP management and successful program implementation therefore building the future of our CACFP sponsorship with the USDA and the North Carolina State agency."
Amy loves her husband of 35 years, John, game nights with her kids, her 3 grandchildren, all things Christmas (especially Christmas music!), her work family, Chick-fil-a, and as she always says, "feeding babies!"
CACFP Sponsorship Opportunities
The YMCA of Southeastern NC is a proud CACFP sponsor.
We currently sponsor the following site types:
- Affiliated At-Risk Afterschool Programs
- Unaffiliated At-Risk Afterschool Programs
What Our Community is Saying
Thank you for all that you did for these kids at NHHS and what incredible work you do for the kiddos in the community.
My students loved coming into my room and grabbing snacks. The variety of different kinds of snacks you provided and they were offered, they really enjoyed. I noticed the small bags of tostitos and the jerky went the quickest. Thank you for your generosity. The kids thank you as well. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Thank you for all that you did for these kids at NHHS and what incredible work you do for the kiddos in the community.
Steve McCrossan, Executive Director NourishNC
I commend the Y for the great work they are doing, and I am proud to call them a partner.
I have been fortunate enough to witness firsthand the incredible impact that the YMCA of Southeastern North Carolina has had on kids inside and outside the walls of their locations. Not only do they provide great meals and snacks for kids at their afterschool and day camp locations, but they also donate the items they cannot use to our nonprofit! As an executive director of a child-centric food relief agency, I know how critical it is to provide kids with nutritious food. Well-fed kids are better equipped to succeed in the classroom and in their community. I commend the Y for the great work they are doing, and I am proud to call them a partner.
Jaime Porter, Teacher at New Hanover High School
The snack packs we have received from the Y over the past few months have been so helpful!
The snack packs we have received from the Y over the past few months have been so helpful! I love having a quick item to offer when kids say they are hungry and lunch is too far away. Whether it's a drink, snack, or even utensil to eat with, all have been so great to have on hand!
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
