Summer lunch program gets cooking in Clark County

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June 17, 2009

Greater Clark County Schools expands annual service to seven sites throughout county

By TARA HETTINGER The News and Tribune Wed Jun 17, 2009, 01:33 PM EDT

Elsie Day hopes for busy days at work.

Day — who has worked as a school cafeteria employee for about seven years — spends her summers serving free lunch as part of the Summer Food Service Program for Children at Wilson Elementary School in Jeffersonville.

The federally funded program allows seven schools within Greater Clark County Schools to serve as sites for children 18 years and younger or persons older than 18 who are determined by a state or public agency to be mentally or physically disabled to receive a free meal Monday through Friday during June and July. The program is open to all who qualify, regardless of income.

Busy days at the sites means more children are eating, Day said.

“I think it’s good it’s all for free,” Day said after serving a child a tray of chicken poppers, mashed potatoes and apple sauce. “I’m sure there’s lots of kids that wouldn’t be able to eat if they had to pay for it. I think it’s awesome that this way they get a hot lunch.”

The program, which kicked off June 8, usually gets off to a slow start, said Carla Robinson, who works as a lunchroom monitor. She said right now, the Wilson location will serve about 75 lunches a day. She said she expects that number to exceed 200 a day in July as word spreads and as more children sign up for summer camps hosted at the schools.

She said that’s the predicted figures, not taking into account the economy.

Robinson — who worked at the Spring Hill Elementary School location last summer — said children often walk to the school just for lunch. She said children may not have someone at home to fix them food or even have food in the pantry or refrigerator to fix.

Robinson said this program also is regulated, making sure kids are fed nutritiously.

“Parents don’t have to worry about their kids getting a nutritious meal,” she added.

The Wilson location also serves as a YMCA camp site, so all those children are eligible for the free lunch.

Many kids brought their lunch to the camp on the first day, not knowing that a hot meal was an option, like Dayna Wilson. Wilson, 8, said school food “really is good” and hopes to have it in the future.

Haley Hemphill, also 8, was one of the others enjoying the provided lunch.

“I like [the food] and it’s good,” Hemphill said. “It’s awesome [that it’s free], because we would have more money because we don’t have to give it to them for lunch.”

Josh Nall, sports camp director with the YMCA, said the program also helps when children forget their lunch. He said with it being free, it also keeps kids from having to remember to bring lunch money to camp.

“It’s going to save time in the morning,” Nall said of parents not having to fix lunches. “And it just helps them save money. It’s really, really great.”

Lunchroom workers said they like serving for a good cause.

“It makes me feel good,” Robinson said with a smile.

The program started last week and runs weekdays through July 24, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. All facilities will be closed July 3 and July 6 in observance of Independence Day.

Erin Bojorquez, public relations specialist for Greater Clark, said the program has been in place for more than 20 years. Last summer, 14,200 children were served, Bojorquez said.

FREE LUNCH?

• Free meals will be made available to children 18 years of age and younger, or persons more than 18 who are determined by a state or local public education agency to be mentally or physically disabled and who participate in a public or nonprofit private school program established for the mentally or physically disabled.

Meal sites will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, now through July 24. Facilities will be closed July 3 and July 6 in observance of Independence Day.

Free Lunch Locations are:

• Jonathan Jennings Elementary School, 603 Main St., Charlestown.

• Bridgepoint Elementary School, 420 Ewing Lane, Jeffersonville.

• Maple Elementary School, 429 Division St., Jeffersonville.

• Parkview Middle School, 1600 Brigman Ave., Jeffersonville.

• River Valley Middle School, 2220 New Albany-Charlestown Road, Jeffersonville.

• Riverside Elementary School, 17 Laurel Drive, Jeffersonville.

• Spring Hill Elementary School, 210 E. 15th St., Jeffersonville.