The school year is over, but there are still opportunities for local children who need access to meals they don't have at home.
JCPS Director of School Nutritional Services Dana Doerhoff said that it's district policy "to let any school-age child in the community come to the school for breakfast and/or lunch meals, even if they are not enrolled in summer school."
Meal times vary at each building during summer school. Doerhoff said people with additional questions about meals should call 659-3010.
The Special Learning Center at 1115 Fairgrounds Road in Jefferson City also will serve free meals Monday through Friday, June 11-15 and June 18-21. Breakfast will be from 7:30-8:45 a.m., and lunch from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
In addition to children and teenagers, the meals are available for eligible adults over 18 years old.
After JCPS summer school and the Special Learning Center's meals are done being served in June, area children will have the opportunity to receive free lunches Monday through Friday from the Food Bank of Central and Northeast Missouri from June 25 to Aug. 14, with the exception of no service on July 4.
Meals will be provided from noon-1 p.m. at the following sites in Jefferson City:
- The corner of Elm Street and Chestnut Street
- Elston Acres Trailer Park
- The Westview Heights cul de sac at Collier Court
- The playground in the 1000 block of Buena Vista Street.
The Food Bank's Children's Program Coordinator Stacey Brown said the sack lunches will consist of a sandwich, fresh fruit or vegetables - such as carrot sticks or an apple - and a snack item. About 4,000 children were served in Jefferson City last summer, Brown added.
The Boys & Girls Club of Jefferson City will provide meals this summer at 1105 Lafayette St. for children in the community who are younger than 18:
- Monday through Thursday only, June 4-30: lunch at 11 a.m., afternoon snack at 3 p.m., early dinner at 4 p.m. and evening snack at 5:30 p.m.
- Friday only, June 4-30: lunch at 11 a.m. and snack at 3 p.m.
- July 1 to Aug. 10: lunch at 11 a.m. and snack at 3 p.m.
Additional information about more Mid-Missouri sites that will provide access to food over the summer - including at the Knowles YMCA in Jefferson City and other sites in Russellville, Linn, Eldon and Belle - is available at ogi.oa.mo.gov/DHSS/summerFood/index.html through the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
A mobile-friendly map for the department's summer food service program is available at ogi.oa.mo.gov/DHSS/summerFood_mobile/index.html.