Play East to pilot two summer lunch sites in Gresham under one‑year agreement

Play East staff reported the organization agreed to run a one‑year pilot operating two summer lunch sites in the City of Gresham, in response to a gap in the school district’s summer learning funding. Staff described the arrangement as a pilot and said the proposed cost to Play East for operating both sites this year is about $34,500, primarily to cover additional staffing.

"This proposal is a friendly pilot understanding that it is not the permanent cost for future years," a staff member told the board, adding that staff absorbed some initial costs to get the program started quickly.

Staff said negotiations happened quickly—over roughly three weeks—and that initial site placement options shifted in discussions with Gresham staff and council (the city pushed for Main City Park as a primary location). Play East staff said they proposed two sites to balance the city’s preferences and Play East’s operational logistics.

Board members framed the pilot as both a service opportunity and a workforce-development pathway: supervisory roles created by the pilot could provide youth employment and on‑the‑job experience. Staff said an evaluation will be completed promptly after the pilot to inform any more comprehensive proposal for future years, and that September will be the target for a follow-up assessment.

Staff emphasized they acted quickly because of operational need and that the board will be able to monitor outcomes. No formal vote to adopt a multi‑year contract was recorded; staff characterized the current arrangement as a one‑year pilot subject to joint evaluation by Play East and Gresham.