School is out for two weeks around the holidays in South Florida. That's a welcome break for some kids — but it also means some aren't getting meals they rely on. One nonprofit in the Keys is keeping its after-school meals going, even while school is out.
The SOS Foundation gives out about 55 meals every afternoon at Bernstein Park on Stock Island.
The county park is a gathering place for kids after school, before their parents get home from work.
The food isn't a full dinner. SOS Foundation Executive Director Tom Callahan said it's what's called a power snack. That has the nutritional value of a meal, with protein, but it's easier for kids to eat on the go.
"It's designed for the kids to more quickly consume and is more kid-friendly than providing a plated meal," he said.
This is the first year the foundation has distributed the food at the park. Callahan said the program is going so well they decided to keep it going during the two-week break.
"They're allowed to come back for seconds, whatever they need. The bigger kids do," Callahan said.
And they're adding some boxed meals for the kids to bring home.
The SOS foundation has a community kitchen in Key West where they make meals for several after-school programs that don't have cafeterias on site. They also have food pantries on Stock Island and Key Largo.
