The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (MDHSS) are working together to feed hungry children during the summer.
The Summer Food Service Program provides breakfast and lunch to children ages 18 and under in low-income areas. Meals are also provided to people who are older than 18 that are determined by a state educational agency to be mentally or physically disabled. The program was designed to help children of low-income areas have access to proper nutrition in the summer, according to information from the USDA.
In the state there are approximately 980 sites that serve free meals, and in 2013 more than 3.5 millions meals were served, Ryan Hobart, MDHSS, said in an email.
The Food and Nutrition Service of the USDA administers the program at the federal level and helps state agencies acquire reimbursement for the meals. Only low-income areas qualify for the program. Low-income areas are school districts where at least half of the students get free or reduced meals.
"Because 53 percent of our students qualify for free or reduced price meals, we are considered a lower income population," said Terri Ferguson, Jefferson City School District food services manager. "We qualify to participate in the Summer Food Service Program so we can feed all of our summer school kids and get reimbursed for it."
The program is also for any children living in the area, not just summer school students, Ferguson said. She also noted that the program provides an incentive for children to attend summer courses, so because of the program summer school attendance has increased.
The meals are served by
program sponsors that are composed of schools, government agencies, summer camps, national youth sports programs and private nonprofit organizations.
"We are a United Way not-for-profit agency, but we get our program through the Jefferson City public schools," said Debbie Hamler, director of the Special Learning Center. "This program helps us by providing a breakfast, snack and lunch for our children that are in our summer session. We have six classes in the summer session with eight to 10 children per class, so I estimate we feed between 40 and 50 children."
The program was created as a part of a larger pilot program for hunger related issues in 1968. It became a separate program in 1975. Through the program an approximate 2.28 million children were fed at nearly 39,000 sites across the country in 2012. Congress appropriated $398 million to feed the millions of children that year, according to research from the USDA.
To find a feeding site call the National Hunger Hotline at 1-866-3-HUNGRY or visit gis.dhss.mo.gov/Website/AGS_summerFood/summerFood.html. For information to be a volunteer or sponsor call the USDA Food and Nutrition Service Public Information Staff at 703-305-2286.
The sites for food services in Jefferson City are:
• East Elementary School, 1229 E. McCarty St., contact Debra Brocksmith 659-3167, meals service from 7:35 to 8:35 a.m. and 10:50 a.m. to 11:50 a.m., meals served for June 2-27.
• East Elm Street Site, 727 E. Elm St., contact Shauna Blanche 634-2582, meal service from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. t0 4:30 p.m., meals served for June 2-Aug. 1.
• Jefferson City High School, 609 Union St., contact Deborah Kremer 659-3073, meal service from 7 a.m. to 7:50 a.m. and 10:50 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., meals served from June 2-27.
• KG, First, Second and Third camps, 424 Stadium Blvd., contact Jessica Kever 761-3196, meal service from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., meals served for June 2-Aug. 8.
• Kirchner State School, 1403 Riverside Drive, contact Paula Patterson 751-7142, meal served from 12 p.m. to 12:30 p.m., for June 2 - 4.
• Lawson Elementary School, 1105 Fairgrounds Road, contact Ronda Kauffman 659-3177, meals served from 7:30 a.m. to 8:20 a.m. and 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., meals served for June 2-27.
• Lewis and Clark Middle School, 325 Lewis & Clark Drive, contact Tammy Weddington 632-3485, meal served from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and 10:50 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., meals served for June 2-27.
• Moreau Heights Elementary School, 1410 Hough Park, contact Jim Menges 659-3182, meals served form 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 10:50 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., meals served for June 2-27.
• Pioneer Trail Elementary, 301 Pioneer Trail, contact Kelly Crouse 632-3408, meals are served from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 10:50 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., meals served for June 2-27.
• South Elementary School, 707 Linden Drive, contact Leslie Williams 659-3187, meals served from 7:50 a.m. to 8:40 p.m. and 10:50 a.m. to 12:20 p.m., meals served for June 2-27.
• Southwest Early Childhood Center, 812 St. Mary's Blvd., contact Angie Stubinger 659-3191, meals served from 7:45 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. to 11:50 a.m., meals served for June 2-27.
• Special Learning Center, 1115 Fairgrounds Road, contact Debbie Hamler 634-3070, meals served from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., meals served for June 2-27.
• Teen Center, 1306 Edmonds St., contact Carl Dement 634-2582, meals served form 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., meals served for June 2-Aug. 1.
• Thomas Jefferson Middle School, 1210 Fairgrounds Road, contact Rocky Wennerman 659-3257, meals served from 7:45 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 10:50 a.m. to 12:10 p.m., meals served for June 2-27.
• Thorpe Gordon Elementary, 1101 Jackson St., contact Judy Scott 659-3172, meals served from 7:25 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. and 11:05 a.m. to 12 p.m., meals served for June 2-27.
• YMCA-Firley, 525 Ellis Blvd., contact Jessica Kever, 761-3196, meals served from 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., meals served for June 9-July 25.