Most students can’t wait for summer break, but for some, no school means they will go hungry. Many local jurisdictions have begun operation of a summer feeding program to prevent hunger within children.
In Richmond, the poverty rate tops 25% and children are usually the hardest hit.
“My feeling is that some kids might actually go hungry,” says Tamara Jenkins with Richmond’s Department of Parks and Recreation.
That’s even more of a possibility when school is out and there’s no free breakfast or lunch for children. So Richmond’s Parks and Rec is trying to fill the void. They’ll serve about 7,000 meals every day during the summer break to anyone under 18.
“Sometimes you just need a little bit of extra help and no one should be embarrassed to ask,” Jenkins told 8news anchor Ava-joye Burnett.
Henrico, Petersburg and other localities also provide summer meals for free. The United States Department of Agriculture shells out millions a year to provide meals to students. Some of the funds also help organizations like the Boys and Girls Club in Richmond.
“So if they have a mood swing or attitude problem, nine times out of ten, the first thing I ask them, have you eaten today? You didn’t eat lunch? Did you eat breakfast, go down stairs and get something to eat, when they come back from down stairs to up stairs, the whole attitude has changed, they are happy.” says Lawanda Rowe with the Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club in Church Hill.
To learn more about the program in Petersburg, click here. (http://www.petgctr4dev.com/summerfeedingprogram.htm)
To learn more about the locations in Richmond, click here. (http://www.richmondgov.com/parks/documents/SMFK_Locations.pdf)
To get more details on the program in Henrico, email Peggy Gordon with School Nutrition Services at pkgordon@henrico.k12.va.us <mailto:pkgordon@henrico.k12.va.us>.
