Wednesday, July 15th, 2015
New program offers summer lunch for hungry kids
By Nancy Allen
Photo by Nancy Allen/The Daily Standard
Tim English, regional administrator of the USDA's Food and Nutrition Service, on Tuesday talks with children while they eat free lunches in the community room at the Celina Gardens Apartments, 710 Devonshire Drive. Federal, state and local partners were on hand to mark the launch of the first USDA Summer Food Service Program event in Mercer County. Any child through age 18 can receive a free meal at the site Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday through July 23. Mini cheeseburgers are on Thursday's menu. If the local program is approved for next year, organizers plan to serve meals beginning in June through late July.
CELINA - A free lunch program aims to help hungry children eat well throughout the summer.
Federal, state and local partners on Tuesday celebrated the launch of Mercer County's first U.S. Department of Agriculture Summer Food Service Program at the Celina Gardens Apartments.
Children are at the greatest risk of going hungry in the summer, said Tony Logan, state director of USDA Ohio Rural Development.
"USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack has called us to task to address this issue to provide food for kids in the summer," he said. "We made an attempt to reach out to centers such as the Celina Garden Apartments."
Several children Tuesday enjoyed peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, applesauce, cheese sticks and milk. A sundae bar with frozen yogurt and a variety of toppings was set up as a special treat.
"The goal is to bring the programs where the kids are," Tim English, regional administrator of the USDA's Food and Nutrition Service, added.
"It's exciting to see the kids here today," English said. "When school is out for the summer, kids lose access to free and reduced meals and could go hungry. They need good, nutritious food to stay healthy and that's what this program provides."
Only 17.5 percent of children receiving free or reduced school lunches nationwide participate in the USDA summer lunch programs, English said.
Through July 23, any child up to age 18 can receive a free lunch from noon-12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at the community building, 710 Devonshire Drive, said Jessica Novitzke of RLJ Management, which operates the 32-unit government-subsidized complex. Activities such as badminton and coloring also will be available for children until 1:30 p.m. each day lunch is served, she said. The program has no income-eligibility requirements. Next year the program will run from early June through late July, she said.
A recent focus of the federal program is to reach more children in predominantly rural areas such as Celina. Integral to the program is finding sites and people to help operate them, English said.
The Celina City School District is the program's sponsor. Deb Schroyer, district food service director, said she was overwhelmed and excited when contacted to help. Schroyer is donating her time while a district food service employee is compensated for the nine hours a week she works. The meals are prepared in the elementary school cafeteria.
"I think it's wonderful," Schroyer said. "It's definitely needed and this community room is a great place to have it. It's well-equipped."
Schroyer plans to make 35 meals a day and will increase the number if more children participate. Fliers were put up around town and the program was promoted on social media starting in June, Novitzke said.
Patricia Wall, Celina Gardens service director, is thrilled to be a part of the program.
"Mercer County has been a county that has not had this program and the state has wanted to see a program here for a while," she said. "So yes, we are excited about this pilot program."
Last summer, through the efforts of the Ohio Department of Education and 191 sponsor organizations, Ohio children received 4 million USDA summer meals at more than 1,600 sites. Funds for the program come from USDA.
