Community Eyes Summer Hot Meal Program

Local civic organizations listen to a presentation on providing summer meals to low-income children.

Oskaloosa, Iowa – How to keep kids fed during the summer months was the topic of a community meeting this week.

Stephanie Dross, with the Iowa Department of Education, spoke about how the community could work with the USDA to provide hot meals to children who qualify for free or reduced cost meals at school, but at other locations during the summer.

A sponsor or organization, such as a church or civic group, would team up with the USDA, because according to the USDA, they “are well positioned to provide meals that complement learning and recreation opportunities for children at neighborhood sites, including schools, churches, recreation centers, playgrounds, parks, and camps.”

Sponsors are reimbursed for all meals served that meet USDA’s nutrition standards.

According to Dross, the program is able to help provide nutritious meals and organized activities for low-income children. This could potentially benefit low-income parents by helping to stretch food dollars, and then help provide healthy recreation for their children.

USDA also says that it helps to provide summer employment for food service workers. The cost of the meals is paid for by federal money.

The group decided that there was a lack of time to look into getting the program into place for this year, but would look at nearby communities for more information and advice on how to potentially put this program into place, locally, next year.

If you would like to know more about the program, you can visit the Summer Food Service Program online HERE.