Program offers free lunches for kids
School may be over, but the lunch lines are still here. They’re just in local parks.
School District 25 started its annual Summer Food Service Program this week. This is the program’s 14th year and it’s held at a number of parks in the Pocatello-Chubbuck area from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on weekdays.
There is no application or any kind of paperwork needed to participate in the program. All you have to do is show up. The program provides free lunches for anyone under 19, adults can buy a lunch for $3.
The program is completely funded by the USDA, which reimburses the district for the food.
The choices are like a school lunch – there’s a main entree, snacks like vegetables or fruit and juice or milk. Tom Wilson, the district’s food service coordinator, said the program serves thousands of children daily.
“We feed on average about 2,500 kids every day,” said Wilson. “Last year we were right at about 100,000 meals for the (entire) summer. We’ve had a couple years where it kind of tops out at around 125,000.”
Tyauna Palmer tries to bring her two sisters and two sons as often as she can.
“It gets difficult during the summer to keep your family fed because during the school year you’ve got the school,” she said. “(The school) makes sure that everyone’s getting the nutrition that they need.”
As someone who’s been taking part in the program for years, Palmer knows how much the community needs it.
“I know there are families that don’t have enough money to feed their children, their families. So without a program like this then there probably would be a lot of kids going hungry during the summer months,” she said.
The program runs until Aug. 14, there will be no service July 3.
The Summer Food Service Program is held at the following parks:
– Alameda Park
– Bicentennial Park
– Caldwell Park
– Hawthorne Park
– New Horizon Center
– OK Ward Park
– Raymond Park
– Upper Ross Park
This is the menu for the summer:
– Monday: pepperoni stuffwich or ham/turkey sandwich, grape tomatoes, 100 percent juice, choice of milk.
– Tuesday: chicken burger or ham/turkey sandwich, sliced apple, sliced peaches, choice of milk
– Wednesday: corn dog or ham/turkey sandwich, celery sticks with peanut butter cup, 100 percent juice, choice of milk
– Thursday: double cheeseburger or ham/turkey sandwich, baby carrots, orange wedges, choice of milk
– Friday: chicken nuggets or ham/turkey sandwich, sliced pear, 100 percent juice/rip slush, choice of milk
