Operation Food Chain meal program for youth starts July 1 in Warren County

School cafeterias are closing for the school year, but youth in Warren County get a nutritious lunch during weekdays when Operation Food Chain kicks off for the summer on July 1.

Jointly operated by Warren County Department of Workforce Development and Washington-Saratoga-Warren-Hamilton-Essex BOCES, Operation Food Chain will serve free lunch at two locations in Glens Falls during weekdays, Monday through Friday, July 1 through August 14.  Youth who are ages 18 and under can get lunch at no cost at:

• East Field Pavilion, 175 Dix Avenue, Glens Falls 12-12:30 p.m.
• Salvation Army, 37 Broad Street, Glens Falls 1-1:30 p.m.

Lunches are safely produced and served by workers in Warren County’s Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP), under the instruction and guidance of Chef Matt Young of WSWHE BOCES and with funding for food from Warren-Hamilton Community Action Agency.  Workers in the Summer Youth Employment Program learn transferable job skills and financial literacy while also earning a paycheck. 

Liza Ochsendorf , Director of Workforce Development for Warren County, said “This is one of the longest-running traditions and impactful partnerships in our community.  Operation Food Chain has been operating every summer for decades and it always warms my heart to see young people supporting their peers, gaining job skills, decreasing food insecurity, and giving back to their community.”  

Chef Matt Young said, Culinary Arts Teacher at WSWHE BOCES, said:  "For over 30 years, Operation Food Chain has served as a vital community resource, providing more than 1,500 nutritious summer lunches to local youth while offering invaluable hands-on skill-building opportunities for our participants. This enduring impact is a direct result of the strong partnership between Warren County Summer Youth Employment, WSWHE BOCES, Warren-Hamilton Counties Community Action, and the First Presbyterian Church of Glens Falls."