Rec & Park Opens Facilities Citywide for Full-Day Care & Meal Access During SF School Strike
Joelle Kenealey
To support families, San Francisco Recreation and Park extended its existing afterschool programs to full-day care for nearly 500 children already enrolled, operating at 19 properties across San Francisco, with care provided by familiar staff. In addition, the department is making space available at its facilities to support community-based out-of-school-time programs and serve as many additional children as capacity allows.
Rec and Park also opened properties across the City to support free meal distribution led by the Department of Children, Youth and Their Families (DCYF) and community-based partners. Breakfast and lunch are being distributed throughout the day to anyone under 18 at locations across San Francisco, including many Recreation and Park sites. A full list can be found here.
“Our recreation centers and clubhouses are trusted places for families, and today they’re doing what they do best—showing up for kids,” said Interim Recreation and Park Department General Manager Sarah Madland. “This is about care, nourishment, and making sure children have safe, welcoming places to spend the day.”
DCYF is responsible for food procurement and distribution operations, while Recreation and Park is providing facility access and logistical support to help ensure families can easily access meals close to home. The San Francisco Public Library also welcomes students who need a place to study and can support printing independent study packets for SFUSD students free of charge.
Together, these efforts reflect the City’s coordinated response to support children and families during the school closure. Rec and Park will continue to assess operational capacity and communicate updates on fulltime care should the strike continue.
“When school is disrupted, coordinated support matters,” said DCYF Director Sherrice Dorsey-Smith. “Working with the Recreation and Park Department and community partners, DCYF is supporting free meal service at 27 sites on February 9 and 36 sites on February 10 so children and youth under 18 can continue to access food during the strike.”
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