Edinburgh schools doesn’t provide a summer meal program, so last year, Girl Scout Abby Sweets stepped up for the community and launched a program that served 1,500 free meals in 16 days.
This year, IvyTech Community College student Kim Cox is taking over leadership of the program, aiming to grow the program to not only serve more children, but also gather donations to feed the entire Edinburgh community.
The Summer Food Service Program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and can be offered at any school that has at least 50 percent of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, Center Grove spokesperson Stacy Conrad said.
The sites must also have enough participation to warrant staying open.
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Center Grove has a free and reduced-price lunch population of 20 percent, so they will not have any sites open, she said.
Children who get the free meals aren’t required to go to the school or even live in the area, but the site itself is located in the school’s geographical boundaries. Along with anyone 18 years of age and younger being eligible for free meals, students with mental or physical disabilities are also able to eat at the sites even if they are 18 years of age or older as long as they are in a state-approved educational program, according to a news release from Greenwood schools.
Edinburgh Parks and Recreation will host Cox’s program, which is made possible with the help of volunteers, who will prepare the food at Edinburgh United Methodist Church and transport it to the parks and recreation center, she said.
“It’s going to be very similar (to the program last year),” Cox said. “I’m hoping to get an even better turnout this year. I wanted to continue to do it for the community.
Greenwood schools will continue to operate its Isom Elementary School site, where 1,279 kids ate last year, up about 200 from the year before, said Cheryl Hargis, Greenwood food services director.
The district has three employees to help prepare and serve the lunches, she said.
“It’s just there to help the needy families that don’t have enough money for food in their homes, but it’s open to everyone,” Hargis said.
While Greenwood has seen an increase in demand, Clark-Pleasant schools have seen the reverse. Instead of having four sites open this summer as they had last year, the district will open two, one at Sawmill Woods Preschool and one at Pleasant Crossing Elementary School, but will not continue its locations at Summerfield Park and Village Crossing Apartments due to the low turnout for meals and the difficulty of finding staff who will work summer hours, said Kim Combs, Clark-Pleasant food services director.
The district served 226 meals each day on average last year, a 22 percent decrease from the previous summer, Combs said.
Clark-Pleasant is not decreasing its hours, however. It will still serve breakfast at Pleasant Crossing Elementary and lunch at both locations, she said.
Franklin schools will have one fewer site than last year, dropping from five to four, but has seen an increase in attendance. The department of agriculture made the decision to close the site at the Franklin library branch as it was across the street from the Franklin Parks and Recreation center.
The district will also continue sites at Northwood Elementary School and the Boys and Girls Club of Franklin, and will have a site at Countryview Estates Mobile Home Community, although that will be limited to the residents of the community, said Jill Overton, Franklin food services director.
“We do sandwiches,” Overton said. “It’s hard to do a casserole, but we keep it simple and make it healthy. We have fresh fruits and vegetables (and) we do hot food. We do sliced pizza even though that’s not the easiest to transport. We offer milk along with the main meals for lunch.”
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Sites are open to all children 18 years and younger, and all students enrolled in a state-approved educational program for the mentally or physically disabled.
Clark-Pleasant Schools
Breakfast at Pleasant Crossing Elementary School; Monday through Friday from 8:45 to 9:15 a.m., May 29 through June 14.
Lunch at Pleasant Crossing and Sawmill Woods Preschool; Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., May 29 through July 19, except July 4.
Edinburgh
Lunch at Edinburgh Parks and Recreation; Tuesdays and Fridays from noon to 1 p.m., June 4 through July 30.
Franklin Schools (all sites Monday through Friday June 3 to July 31, except July 4 and 5)
Franklin Parks and Recreation; lunch from 11:30 a.m. to noon and afternoon snack from 1:45 to 2 p.m.
Northwood Elementary School; breakfast from 8 to 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Boys and Girls Club of Franklin; lunch from 11:15 a.m. to noon and afternoon snack from 1:45 to 2 p.m.
Greenwood Schools
Lunch at V O ISOM Elementary School; Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to noon, May 28 through July 19 except July 4 and 5.
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