LYNN, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Young people in need of a hot meal at dinnertime can find one at the Demakes Family YMCA in Lynn.

The YMCA, located at 40 Neptune Blvd., serves free hot meals to people ages 18 and under every weekday starting at around 3:15 p.m.

“Any young person 18 and under can come to the YMCA, Monday through Friday, and get a hot meal for supper,” YMCA of Metro North Senior Executive Director Andrea Baez told WBZ NewsRadio.

The YMCA is reimbursed for the meals by the federal government. The program is also supported by grants and donations.

“We want to do this because it’s a community need,” said Baez. “Personally, I am Italian, and I want to feed everybody. But really, food insecurity is something people are still battling with in Lynn, and we want to support the community in every way that we can, and food insecurity is something that we can easily help with.”

According to Baez, the Lynn YMCA served around 79,000 meals to people last year.

WBZ’s Carl Stevens (@CarlWBZ) reports.