CROSS COUNTY, Ark. (KAIT) – Schools are finishing up for the summer, and for many of them, ensuring students are fed is still a priority.
According to the School Nutrition Association, nearly 20% of students lack consistent food access.
“A large number of kids who are economically disadvantaged may not have a meal – we think about this a lot of times,” said Wes Hooper, communications director of the Cross County School District.
School districts are doing their part to make sure those numbers don’t go higher.
Hooper said the school is feeding hundreds of kids with its summer lunch program with help from the United States Department of Agriculture.
“They have hamburgers. Last week I think they had chicken sandwiches, corn dog hot dogs, those types of things, and then also breakfast items,” he said.
Students can go to the school to pick up their meals, but the Cross County School District has offered another way to get these meals to their students.
The district is delivering meals straight to the student’s homes.
“Being able to go out and to go to each individual home ensures that we have more people getting the food,” Hooper said.
However, they’re not the only school district trying to feed more students.
Beth McSpadden, director of nutritional services of the Batesville School District, said its summer program is also making sure students are fed, even if they’re not Pioneers.
“Zero to 18 any child you don’t have to live here you don’t have to even be from this country,” she said. “A lot of our homeschool groups, they bring their kids and just to give them a little change of pace.”
The meals are available thanks to the SUN program which allows schools to feed any child under the age of 18.
McSpadden said making sure students are fed also helps parents at home.
“The price of everything inflation is so ridiculous. And, you know, it’s hard to feed a family.”
McSpadden said the school expects to feed hundreds of students. She said she hopes the school will still be able to feed children even after the program ends.
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