Brandon Twp.- Free breakfast and free lunch for children will be available Monday through Thursday beginning July 7 at Oakwood Elementary, 2839 Oakwood Road.
This is the third year in a row the school district has sponsored the Summer Food Service Program, federally funded and available to all children under the age of 18, regardless of family income.
‘We’ve had great success,? said Suzanne Evenson, director of food services for the district. ‘The last two years, we served approximately 200 children per day.?
The program is designed to ensure all children receive nutritious meals during the summer, when the free or reduced price meals offered during the school year are not available. In order to receive the grant, the school building in which it is located must have more than 50 percent of its students eligible for free or reduced price meals.
The meals offered at Oakwood coincide with the EXTRA program, which offers tutoring assistance to students K-6 in reading and math and is also federally funded.
While enrollment in EXTRA is closed, the free meals are for all children, regardless of whether they are receiving tutoring.
Breakfast is provided from 8:30-9:30 a.m. and lunch from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. The summer food program ends July 30.
‘In the future, if we get higher free and reduced count kids, we will do the program at buildings where it is more easily accessible for children,? said Evenson.
‘They get basically the same menu used throughout the school year and the same with breakfast. I just feel this program gives children the opportunity to have a healthy, free meal during the summer months when we don’t have school in session.?
For more information, call Suzanne Evenson at 248-627-1828.