Summer tends to be a carefree time for school-age students, but for some parents, it presents a dilemma — how to handle the sudden financial burden of providing daily, adequate nutrition for children who normally receive breakfast and lunch at school.
The Columbus Municipal School District began its Summer Food Service Program yesterday, offering free breakfast and lunch to all area children below the age of 18. Adults may also purchase meals for $4 per plate.
Children do not have to be enrolled in the CMSD, and there are no family income requirements in order to be eligible. Food must be eaten on the premises. Menus are based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture”s standard food pyramid and can be acquired by asking the food services manager at each site.
The program will run through June 30 at the following locations: Columbus High School, Columbus Middle School, Hunt Elementary, Cook Elementary, Fairview Elementary, Franklin Elementary, the Boys and Girls Club on 14th Avenue, and Ginomai Ministries (Genesis Church) at the old Hughes Elementary on 23rd Avenue.
Breakfast will be served from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., and lunch will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday. Breakfast at the Boys and Girls Club will be served from 8 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
Thomas Collins, food services director for CMSD, said the district served approximately 49,000 meals at six sites last summer, and he expects that number to increase this summer due to the two additional sites.
The federal government reimbursed the district $139,160 last year for the program, which is operated under the Food and Nutrition Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“We want to make sure kids in Columbus still get a breakfast and lunch,” Collins said. “Say I”m the parent of three kids. All I have to do is get them up and get them out. It saves time and money from actually buying food, and it”s good community involvement.”
Collins said Columbus Municipal School District has participated for the past 20 to 25 years.
The Lowndes County School District will operate a similar program at three sites: the Artesia, Crawford, and Plum Grove Community Centers.
Breakfast will not be served. Lunch will be served free of charge to all children below the age of 18 on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The program will run today through July 15.
Betty Clinton, Child Nutrition Director for the LCSD, said they served nearly 14,000 children last summer. The district has participated in the program for the past five years.
According to the USDA”s website, individual states operate the Summer Food Service Program as open, enrolled, or camp sites.
Open sites operate in low income areas where at least half the families are at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty level, making the children eligible for free or reduced-price lunch throughout the school year.
Enrolled sites operate in locations where children are enrolled in activities like summer school or day camps and at least half receive free or reduced-price lunches during the school year.
Camps receive reimbursement only for children who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals.
The program has operated on a federal level since 1975.
For information about CMSD”s program, please call the CMSD Child Nutrition Office at 241-7410. For information about LCSD”s program, please call the LCSD Child Nutrition Office at 244-5021.
Carmen K. Sisson is the former news editor at The Dispatch.
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