Keeping children from going hungry this summer… that’s the goal of a program that kicked off just a week ago. Grand Rapids Public Schools sponsors the program and wants community families to know there’s help available if needed. It’s the “Meet Up and Eat Up” program and it offers free breakfast and lunch at 20 sites throughout the summer.
“Proper nutrition is very important, we believe in servicing the children of our community, the whole child, the whole year.”
That’s Jennifer Laninga. She’s a Supervisor within Grand Rapids Public Schools. She says they’re trying to get the word out about their summer meal program, “Meet Up and Eat Up.”
“Our kids in the Grand Rapids area, we know they don’t all leave the city, so what we really are trying to do, is get the word out that we are here and we are still able to provide kids with free meals during the summer.”
School and state officials alike say the program is crucial for hundreds of thousands of Michigan students who rely on the federal school meals program. Experts say in Grand Rapids alone, 86 percent of students receive free or reduced lunch. Without the program, experts say many would go hungry and pressure would be put on already strained budgets.
“During summer, we realize that the need is still in our community, so in our community we provide our community with 20 different sites that provide lunches, some may provide breakfast, free of charge, throughout the summer months.”
Laninga says they expect to serve more than 90-thousand lunches over the summer months. And she says all are welcome.
“This program will run through August 19th, and every child aged 18 and younger is eligible to participate. You do not have to live in the Grand Rapids area, you can be a cousin that’s visiting from out of town, there is no registration, there is no sign up, you may simply walk up and get a free lunch.”
If you want more information, or want to find out where the meal sites area located, you can call the GRPS Food and Nutrition Services at 616-819-2135.