Grant County Schools Food Service Department has been busy this summer ensuring that children across our community receive a daily meal. The Summer Feeding program is a staple throughout our community and ensures that any child 0-18 receives a lunch free of charge. This summer, the program kicked off June 5th and has served 45, 395 meals to children across Grant County as of this week.
“Our program has grown into a huge mobile operation, we have a fleet of vehicles that go out daily and feed hot meals to 14 locations within Grant County.” Summer Feeding Supervisor, Jennifer Perry shares.
The program is provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) with each meal served being reimbursed which creates income to support the program.
Not only do children receive a hot lunch, but weekly family bags are being dispersed at Mason Corinth Elementary on Monday afternoons this year. In these four disbursements, 28,714 family bags have been given. These bags have contained a gallon of milk, fresh fruit or vegetable, frozen breakfast, and lunch sandwiches, as well as snacks.
This is a large operation that takes a lot of coordination and organization to ensure success each day. Grant County has fifteen workers who make this program happen day in and day out. When these employees are asked why they take on this amazing feat a few of them shared - “Seeing our kids and knowing they have the food they need” Janie Spencer Food Service employee shared. Alesha Webster smiles as she discusses the program, “I love making connections, seeing our kids over the summer, and watching them grow up.” Leanna Fields bud driver for the Lunch Bus Express Mobile Café said, “I’ve been doing this for two years now and love doing it!”
Our Grant County Food Service Department is definitely in this for our students, not only for summer feeding but each and every day. “We have the best summer feeding staff around, they go above and beyond to get hot meals out every day. They all work together as a team to get the job done” Jennifer Perry praises.
If you are out and about Grant County in July, make sure you take your children to one of their 14 locations for a free hot lunch or swing through Mason-Corinth Elementary on Monday afternoon for a bag to enjoy all week long. You never know who you will see or how you will be blessed by this program.
Summer Feeding within Grant County Schools