GARDNER, KAN -
Free food is on the menu in one Kansas community, as a free summer food service program in the Gardner-Edgerton School District is serving nutritious meals for kids who would usually eat at school during the school year.
"Hunger doesn't stop in the summer just because the kids are off when school is off," said Carol Semrau, Food Service director for the Gardner-Edgerton School District. "There is still a need out there in our community for children to be fed."
Semrau says summer school students make up the bulk of the district's free summer food service program, as they come over directly after school, but the program is open to anyone up to the age of 18. Students don't even need to enrolled in the Gardner-Edgerton School District to get a free breakfast or lunch, and there are no qualifying income guidelines for parents.
Since the program started at the beginning of June, the elementary school serves on average about 200 breakfasts and 450 lunches daily.
"This is the first time this particular school has exceeded 50 percent in terms of our free and reduced lunch population, and so because we hit that benchmark we now have the opportunity to offer this program to our community for up to five years," said Eric Hansen, director of Business and Finance for the district.
The program is sponsored by the Kansas State Department of Education and funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Jill Ramseell brings her four kids and a few of their friends everyday, and says the program has saved her hundreds of dollars during a difficult time for her family.
"My husband has been out of work since October," said Ramseell. "He's an electrician and I stay home with the kids, and so this is defiantly helping us out this summer."
The program is taking place in the Gardner Elementary through July 30. Students can receive breakfast from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. and lunch from 11 to 1 p.m. Monday thru Friday. Parents can join their kids and buy breakfast for a $1.90, and lunch for $3.30.
"Hunger doesn't stop in the summer just because the kids are off when school is off," said Carol Semrau, Food Service director for the Gardner-Edgerton School District. "There is still a need out there in our community for children to be fed."
Semrau says summer school students make up the bulk of the district's free summer food service program, as they come over directly after school, but the program is open to anyone up to the age of 18. Students don't even need to enrolled in the Gardner-Edgerton School District to get a free breakfast or lunch, and there are no qualifying income guidelines for parents.
Since the program started at the beginning of June, the elementary school serves on average about 200 breakfasts and 450 lunches daily.
"This is the first time this particular school has exceeded 50 percent in terms of our free and reduced lunch population, and so because we hit that benchmark we now have the opportunity to offer this program to our community for up to five years," said Eric Hansen, director of Business and Finance for the district.
The program is sponsored by the Kansas State Department of Education and funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Jill Ramseell brings her four kids and a few of their friends everyday, and says the program has saved her hundreds of dollars during a difficult time for her family.
"My husband has been out of work since October," said Ramseell. "He's an electrician and I stay home with the kids, and so this is defiantly helping us out this summer."
The program is taking place in the Gardner Elementary through July 30. Students can receive breakfast from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. and lunch from 11 to 1 p.m. Monday thru Friday. Parents can join their kids and buy breakfast for a $1.90, and lunch for $3.30.
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