The Enid News and Eagle, Enid, OK

Children and Families

Related Photos

  • Students climb the steps at Booker T. Washington Community Center on their way to Kids Cafe, where every weekday afternoon Penny Flynn (cover) cooks for 40 to 50 children who come to the center after school. Children come to get a nutritious meal as well as participate in other programs offered at the center. Kid’s Cafe is sponsored by Oklahoma Food Bank. The center adopted the program in 1998 as part of its after-school program. (Staff Photos by BILLY HEFTON)

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  • Every weekday afternoon Penny Flynn cooks for 40 to 50 children who come to Kids Cafe at Booker T. Washington Community Center after school. Children come to get a nutritious meal as well as participate in other programs offered at the center. Kid’s Cafe is sponsored by Oklahoma Food Bank. The center adopted the program in 1998 as part of its after-school program. (Staff Photo by BILLY HEFTON)

    Cover_Booker_T_BH.jpg

  • Dynesha Norwood helps set up plates for the Kids Cafe after-school program at Booker T. Washington Community Center. (Staff Photo by BILLY HEFTON)

    Booker_T_2_BH.jpg

Discussion

April 17, 2010

Cooking up something special: Booker T. Washington Community Center keeps kids fed after school

By Kasey Fowler, Staff Writer Enid News and Eagle

ENID — Every weekday afternoon Penny Flynn waits for her children to get out of school — all 40 to 50 of them.

Flynn is cook for Kids Cafe, where children come to get a nutritious meal weekday afternoons at Booker T. Washington Community Center.

Flynn said she starts cooking around 2:45 p.m. in expectation of hungry children filing off the yellow buses around 3:15.

Once the kids climb off the buses, they run into the building to wash their hands, sign in and line up to eat. Sometimes, if they are well behaved, the kids help Flynn put the meals on the tables.

“I never make a menu, I probably should,” Flynn said. “I try to remember what is in the fridge, and I will think I will cook this or that. They will usually tell me what they want. Their favorites are sweet rice and chicken.”

Kid’s Cafe is sponsored by Oklahoma Food Bank. Booker T. Washington adopted the program in 1998 as part of its after-school program.

“It is a wonderful, wonderful program. We order commodities of food from the food bank by the computer. They have everything a grocery store has except various meats. We order canned good and rice and things from them,” said Clifford Porter, executive director of Booker T. Washington Community Center. “They really promote healthy eating and preventing childhood obesity. They get a full, balanced meal Monday through Thursday. On Friday, we do a lighter meal.”

At Kid’s Cafe the children are able to eat as much as they like, unlike some programs that only can provide one serving per child.

“Penny stuffs the kids till they can’t walk,” Porter said. “Most of these programs, it is only one serving but the food bank gives us enough to feed them.”

Porter said many of the children eat breakfast and lunch at school and a meal at the center.

“It is very good for parents who don’t get off till 5 (p.m.) or work two jobs. It cuts down a lot on how much they have to cook. They may have to give the kids a little something before bed. Parents tell us they aren’t even hungry when they get home,” Porter said.

Children at the center receive more than food to fill their bellies.

“We offer hygiene classes and cooking classes for the kids. They bake and cook for the next day. They get to go to the store to go shopping with us,” Porter said.

Although the after-school program is advertised, Porter said one of the best ways they get kids is by word of mouth.

“We try to target single moms and low- to moderate-income families, but we are open to the public,” Porter said. “They come here and eat and have a good time. Then, they go home and go to school the next day and tell the next kid.”

The after-school program is sponsored by United Way, city of Enid and donations.

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