Latest news with #SummerMealProgram
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Free summer meals available for Colorado children aged 18 and younger
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) — On Tuesday, the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) announced that 635 summer meal sites are open throughout Colorado to provide free meals to children aged 18 and younger. Out of those 635 locations, 16 are open in Grand Junction. In Grand Junction, these locations include: Chipeta Elementary School, Dos Rios Elementary School, Pear Park Elementary School, Pomona Elementary School, Tope Elementary School, Bookcliff Middle School, Orchard Mesa Middle School, Grand Junction High School, CMU Tech, Candlewood Park, Clifton Community Center, Dual Immersion Academy School, EUREKA! Science Museum, Kimwood Park, Lincoln Park and Mesa Avenue Park. Parents, families and community members can learn more about locations and hours at No registration, identification, or proof of income or enrollment is required to access summer meals. All meals served meet USDA nutrition guidelines. The Colorado Department of Education's School Nutrition Unit, in partnership with community-based program sponsors, runs the Summer Meal Program and provided over 1.9 million meals to Colorado youth last year. The U.S. Department of Agriculture funds the program. CDE is currently working with 82 community organizations to run the 635 meal sites across the state. In rural areas, a to-go or delivery option for meals may be offered. Local schools, nonprofits, government agencies, camps, faith- or community-based organizations can join the program to provide new meal sites at any time throughout the summer. 'Many Colorado children rely on their schools for access to food, and our Summer Meals Program provides a critical resource for children and families during the summer months. We are grateful to our 83 community partners for stepping up to serve them,' said Colorado Education Commissioner Susana Córdova. In addition to the Summer Meals Program, children and teens can get free meals over the summer through the Lunch Lizard. The mobile summer food program operates across Mesa County and served its first set of children on Monday in Fruita. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Keeping kids fed through the summer
Rapid City, S.D. (KELO) -The Summer Meal Program at the Club for Boys kicked off today in Rapid City. Over the summer, it will provide free breakfast and lunch to kids 18 and under. Thanks to a grant from the Black Hills Area Community Foundation, parents who come with their kids also receive a free meal this summer for the first time. 'If a parent doesn't want to bring their kids down for lunch, then sometimes those kids aren't going to eat. Hopefully, having that free meal is an incentive for parents to bring their kids to the site. So by providing that to have their kids eat and the parents eat so we're fulfilling a family need, not just the child's needs,' Assistant Executive Director Mark Kline said. A few boys also work in the kitchen over the summer to learn new job skills, and many other boys sign up to volunteer and help in the cafeteria. 'I will be washing dishes, making sure it's all clean for the kids to use and then every once in a while I'll help serve dishes for them. I have fun while working here, and it makes me happy to see the kids are happy with the food they get to eat,' 2024 Boy of the Year Marrik Foster said. These free meals can help with the food insecurity some families are experiencing. 'Having a place like the Club for Boys that are feeding anyone in the community, free lunch or breakfast, helps to make sure those kids get proper nutrition as well as get them through the day. We can't feed all meals during the day, but hopefully by feeding breakfast and lunch, then the parents after they get off work can feed their kids at night,' Kline said. 'The Club for Boys is a great place for everyone, because everyone is included. Everyone has fun and enjoys it, I know I do,' Foster said. The Summer Meal Program will offer breakfast and lunch, Monday through Friday, until August 8th. Club memberships are also available for only $12, where boys ages 6-17 get to partake in all the club has to offer for a whole year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Waco ISD to launch Summer Meal Program
WACO, Texas (FOX 44) — The Waco Independent School District's Summer Meal Program will keep kids fueled up during warm-weather activities. The meal program starts May 27th and goes until July 4th, allowing kids ages 18 and younger to come get free breakfast and lunch. It does not matter where you are from or what school you attend. There is no paperwork required. Parents also benefit from this program in several different ways – they can come and purchase a meal and sit with their kids to keep them company. The kids also get a chance to connect with their peers in a familiar environment. 'Well, as you can imagine, I mean, you know, every grocery store trip can be a hardship for some,' says Waco ISD Child Nutrition Specialist Sarah Hodde. 'So, just relieving the need to provide breakfast and lunch during the summer can really be helpful to our community. And our families.' Families can also call 2-1-1 to connect to local services like food pantries, emergency shelters, and more. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
