Summer brings free meals, lots of fun at Fox Meadow

VIV Builder • November 11, 2021

Nearly 270 free lunches and about the same number of snacks were served to children at Fox Meadow in Lebanon this summer.


Cumberland Plateau Regional Housing Authority for the third consecutive year partnered with Feeding America Southwest Virginia in Abingdon to offer free lunches and snacks to children up to age 18. The Summer Food Service Program, a federally-funded, state-administered USDA initiative, provides free healthy meals to children in low-income areas during summer months. 


Feeding America provided shelf-stable prepackaged meals for the housing authority to serve. Lunches and snacks were served Monday through Friday at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. respectively in the Fox Meadow community room with an activity session in between.


The program began June 10 and ran through Aug. 1. Meals were served a total of 36 days, including 267 lunches and 262 snacks.


Accompanying the meals program was a youth activity session, also held Monday through Friday. Three days a week – Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays – volunteers from Lebanon Community Fellowship Church and Gracewood Baptist Church led activities such as Bible lessons and crafts. Housing authority staff and leaders with the Fox Meadow Association of Concerned Tenants directed the sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The fun included outdoor games, a nature scavenger hunt, butterfly project, water slide days and more.

Public Hearing - January 3, 2021 at 11:00 a.m.

By VIV Builder • December 17, 2021
There will be a Public Hearing to Review the Agency Annual Plan Monday, January 3, 2021 at 11:00 a.m.

Seniors invited to attend Coffee + Plus

By VIV Builder • December 17, 2021
Fox Meadow residents age 55 and older are invited to attend monthly Coffee + Plus meetings hosted by the Association of Concerned Tenants. The program, which launched in February of this year, meets the third Thursday of every month at 10 a.m. in the community room. ACT partners with the housing authority to organize the sessions, which is aimed at improving health and wellness and offering a source of community engagement for senior citizens. The overall goal is to keep our seniors active, engaged and healthy. Some months include guest speakers or planned activities. For example, in April, two representatives of Appalachian Agency for Senior Citizens visited to provide an overview of services offered by the agency. In July, participants put their artistic talent on display when a local artist conducted a paint party (at left). ACT members and housing staff encourage all seniors to attend the program.

Youth enjoy end-of-summer celebration

By VIV Builder • November 11, 2021
Fox Meadow children pose with backpacks provided by CPRHA for the start of the new school year. Fox Meadow youth bid summer farewell on Friday, August 2 with free pizza, frozen treats and fun in the sun.  Children in grades pre-k through middle school also went home with backpacks and high schoolers received gift cards provided by the housing authority to help them begin a new school year this month. The event kicked off at noon with lunch. Splashes and laughter followed as youngsters took turns cooling off on a water slide or in kiddie pools. The day ended with distribution of backpacks. CPRHA wishes all our youth a safe and happy school year filled with fun and learning!

The River provides free school supplies

By VIV Builder • November 11, 2021
 Above left, armed with butterfly nets, youth journey around Fox Meadow in search of butterflies on a sunny afternoon. Above right, youngsters visit with Mr. Junior Green, who displays a bird’s nest he found, during a nature scavenger hunt. The River, a church in Lebanon, distributed free school supplies to children at Fox Meadow on Sunday, August 4. Youngsters were also treated to free ice cream sundaes. CPRHA staff and Fox Meadow residents express appreciation to the church and Pastor Kevin Blankenship for supporting our communities.

Program helps improve health literacy

By VIV Builder • November 11, 2021
Participants in the 2019 HEAL Program at Fox Meadow, Lebanon, display certificates of completion at the end of the course.