By Heather Pilkington, Register Staff Writer
Gainesville Daily Register
Gainesville —
For years, the Gainesville Independent School District has had a summer program that helps feed low-income children of the area while school is not in session.
This summer will be no exception.
According to the Summer Food Service Program website, “During the school year, many children recieve free and reduced-price breakfast and lunch throuh the School Breakfast and National School Lunch Programs. Hunger is one of the most severe roadblocks to the learning process. Lack of nutrition during the summer months may set up a cycle for poor performance one school begins again. Hunger also may make children more prone to illness and other health issues. The Summer Food Service Program is designed to help fill the nutrition gap and make sure children get the nutritious meals they need.”
To combat this problem, the GISD’s summer meal program will be open at Edison Elementary beginning June 13 through June 30 with breakfast being served from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., and lunch service is 11a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Gainesville Middle school will be open June 13 to July 29. Breakfast will be served from 7:45 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., and lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
This program also provides a service to children attending the Boys & Girls Club.
“We also feed at the Boys and Girls Club. It is a closed site meaning only people enrolled at the Boys and Girls Club can eat,” Debbie Miller with GISD Food Services said.
GISD workers carry the food over to the Boys & Girls Club to help the club save money and not have to transport the children around.
According to Miller, students will get a nutrious meal at any school they visit. At Edison Elementary the child will have one entree, three sides and a milk and at Gainesville Middle School the child will have a choice of two entrees, three sides and a milk.
Parents do not need to worry about signing their children up because the program is free to anyone from the age of one to 18 years old.
For more information about the program, visit their website at www.summerfood.org.
