BEND, OR -- A number of local school districts start free summer lunch programs Monday. "Even though school’s out, kids still need nourishment," says Terry Cashman, Bend-La Pine Schools Director of Nutrition Services and Operations.
Crook County School District, Jefferson County 509J and Redmond Schools also offer their own summer meal programs. Cashman tells KBND News, "This is for everybody, no matter what your income status might be. We just want to make sure you’re having a nutritious meal." He adds, "It’s free for all kids from zero – or, really from one to 18. At zero, I don’t think you’ll be eating our summer lunch but you can still show up with your siblings!"
He says many locations offer more than just food, "If it’s a park, there are activities for the kids to burn off some energy there, too. We have several different locations going on this year. Each place has to fall within a specific guideline for it to qualify for a summer feeding site. So, we try to place them in places where they’re easily accessible to families and kids." Bend sites include the downtown Boys & Girls Club, Al Moody Park, Jewell Elementary and Pilot Butte Neighborhood Park, "The nice thing about the Pilot Butte Neighborhood Park one is on Wednesdays, we’re also going to have a reading program there, too. So, those kids who want to work on their reading, it’ll be a great chance to do that." Lunch will also be offered at the La Pine Event Center, starting July ninth.
Redmond Schools offers free lunch at Sam Johnson Park, Lynch Elementary, Tom McCall Elementary and the library starting Monday. Click HERE for details. And, in July and August, the district’s bicycle mobile food cart (pictured) will make regular lunch stops at four southwest Redmond apartment complexes and the Cascade Swim Center.
Click HERE for a map of all summer meal programs.
