Summer meal program begins Tuesday

School may be out for summer, but kids can still access breakfasts and lunches through the school district's free summer meal program.

Lunches will be served at Allen Elementary School and the Middle School, as well as four mobile sites, Monday through Friday for a total of 11 weeks, according to Jason Carter, director of child nutrition for the district. Breakfasts will be served at the Middle School from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m.

The free meals are for all children younger than the age of 18, whether or not they attend Siloam Springs Schools, Carter said. Adult meals are available for $3.50 at Allen Elementary School and the Middle School, but will not be served at any of the mobile sites.

There are no requirements to participate, according to Sarah Jones, director of Bright Futures Siloam Springs. Parents are welcome to bring younger siblings who are too young to attend school, and grandparents can bring their grandchildren who are visiting from out of town for the summer, she said.

"The great thing about the summer meal program is it's not just for families who are running low on groceries at home, it's for anyone," Jones said. "We saw all kinds of moms who brought their kids to socialize in the parks or at the school. It's a great way to make sure your kids are getting something balanced in the middle of the day and they can meet up with their friends at the park. We encourage people to eat at Allen (Elementary School) and then go swim at the (Family Aquatic Center)."

Last year, the program served nearly 19,000 meals over the summer. This year, the program has expanded an additional week so there will only be five days that meals will not be available -- May 25, May 28 (Memorial Day), July 4 and Aug. 13 and 14, Carter said.

Many students rely on meals at school and are hungry during the summer months, Jones said. The additional week will mean there will be fewer gaps between school and the summer program.

Another change is the addition of a new mobile location at the Siloam Springs Public Library. Carter explained that kids are already at the library for the summer reading program so the new mobile site is a natural fit.

The school will continue its Stay and Play Program at the mobile sites on Thursdays, Carter said. Volunteers from Potter's House have been very instrumental in helping manage the Thursday entertainment, and employees from Arvest Bank and La-Z-Boy are also helping out, Jones said.

"Kids can expect games or arts and crafts -- something organized -- but also we're encouraging our volunteers to just come and sit and talk with them while they eat, just have a touchpoint during the week, and also to encourage more participation at those mobile sites," she said.

On Fridays, each child who attends the summer meal program will receive a snack pack, provided by Samaritan Community Center of Rogers, to take home for the weekend.

Arvest Foundation gave the school a $10,000 grant to supplement the snack packs with items such as peanut butter, canned pasta, soup, oatmeal and fruit.

"They provide us with the snack packs and we're trying to make it more into a meal pack so it stretches a little further over the weekend," Carter said.

Hunger is tied to many issues that children face, such as behavioral problems and depression, Jones said. Many teachers and school employees worry about what their students will eat over summer break, she said.

"Knowing there are many, many kids in our district that rely on (snack packs) for the whole weekend, that's really what fuels our motivation to do what it takes to give them a little bit more," Jones said.

During the school year, the district distributes about 300 SnackPacks per week and last year that trend continued during the summer, Carter said.

The district has also received donations from Simmons Foods, Centennial Bank and other local clubs and organizations to help supplement the packs, and plans to continue looking for resources to continue supplementing them in the future, Jones said.

Jones said the summer meal program is in need of volunteers to help pack SnackPacks and to help with Thursday activity days. For more information, call Sarah Jones at Panther Health and Wellness Clinic at 479-524-8175 or visit the Bright Futures Siloam Springs Facebook page for updates.