MAGNA, Utah — A summer dinners program that helps families facing food insecurity is launching in Magna for the first time.
The program, run by Utah Communication Action, offers free made-from-scratch dinners for kids 18 and under and low-cost meals for adults.
The organization says every couple of years, they do a community needs assessment to see what the barriers are in the community. “We’re seeing food insecurity as one of the top barriers,” Sahil Oberoi, the organization’s chief operating officer, said.
Oberoi says they’re working to fill in the gaps left by programs in place. “We understand that the district provides food, specifically breakfast and lunch, for kiddos,” Oberoi explained. “But there’s a gap. There’s no service out there for dinner.”
So, they brought their summer dinners program to Magna for the very first time. The Utah Community Action’s program is also available in South Salt Lake.
“We’re seeing more need on the west side of Salt Lake City for these kinds of programs,” Oberoi said.
Utah Community Action, founded in 1965, serves individuals and families experiencing poverty by providing programs focused on education and self-reliance through services like workforce development, preschool, utility assistance, housing support, and nutrition.
On Monday, the organization handed out dinner to families outside of the Magna Recreation Center at 3270 S. 8400 West.
One of the people getting a meal on Monday was high school student Khang Nguyen. "Some single-family households around this area struggle to put food on the table to pay for bills, pay for sports, extra curriculars,” Nguyen said. "It takes a lot of pressure off of families.”
Another organization offering free summer meals is the Utah Food Bank. “It’s more important this year, probably more than any year, just given the high cost that people are experiencing — housing, inflation, fuel,” Kent Liston, chief financial officer of the Utah Food Bank, said. “It’s a big issue, and we’re trying to do everything we can to help.”
The summer dinners program runs from June 1 through July 31, Monday through Friday, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Magna Recreation Center.
“You need energy to live, you need energy to go to school,” Nguyen said. “So, this really helps. It helps a lot of people.”
