KIMBERLY BELLAMY
Time and time again, the school Summer Feeding Program has provided an avenue for parents to save a few dollars during lunch time.
This year, the program will make an even bigger impact with so many people clutching their wallets tight during an national economic upset.
"In our economy, there is such a need for it," said Brenda Canady, director of child nutrition for Edgecombe County Public Schools.
The Summer Feeding program will begin June 22, and will be offered at 16 sites, an increase that more than doubles the seven sites available last year.
Among the open sites are G.W. Carver, Princeville Montessori, Jerusalem Missionary Baptist, Calvary Episcopal, Lakeside Trailer Park, Mobile Homes Estates, Forest Pines, Jerry's Trailer Park, Lone Pines Trailer Park and Sawyer Trailer Park.
The sites open to students who are enrolled in their recreational or tutoring programs are G.W. Bulluck, Coker-Wimberly, Phillips Middle, Conetoe Chapel, White's Chapel and St. Luke Church of Christ.
The open sites will be open Monday-Thursday from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. June 22-25 and July 7-Aug. 12.
The summer feeding program is a federally funded program operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and administered by a state agency.
The program serves children through age 18, regardless of race, gender, age or sex.
With the addition of the new sites, more children are expected to take advantage of the lunches.
"Last year we fed about 10,000 children. This summer we're looking at feeding twice that," Canady said.
Canady said that breaks down to about 1,000 children being served each day compared to 700-800 kids last year.
"We're trying to reach out and feed the children that need it," she said.
Some of the increased participation will come from the involvement with Boys and Girls Club who had an outside vendor feed the club members last year. This year, the organization will use the Summer Feeding Program at Phillips, Princeville Montessori, and the South Edgecombe unit will pick up food from Carver Elementary.
"I'm excited about Carver Elementary. We never had an open site there, and hopefully we'll have good participation over there," Canady said.
The program will be offering pre-packaged lunches including combo sandwiches with turkey, ham, bologna, fruit, raisins, a bag of cookies and a milk.
The distribution of boxed lunches makes it easier for distribution, and works better with serving an unknown amount of children each day.
"When you don't know exactly how many you're going to feed, you don't have food waste that way," Canady said.
Site coordinators will go through training today to prepare for serving and tracking the amount of children that will utilize the program each day.
