(U.S.D.A. photo)
Most of Iowa’s K-through-12 schools have wrapped up classes for summer break, but several hundred schools statewide are keeping their doors open to make sure students have something to eat.
Des Moines Public Schools executive chef Chad Taylor hands out milk cartons to a group of kids at Cattell Elementary eating turkey sandwiches, craisins, and snack mix. Cattell is one of 29 sites in Des Moines that’s serving lunch, in-person, five days a week with support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Summer Food Service Program.
Nearly 500 sites will be operating in Iowa’s schools, community centers, churches and parks this summer. Taylor says some students count on school for a meal, even when classes are out for the summer. “There are people in need and there are areas in our city that still need to realize that food insecurity is a big deal still,” He says. Taylor says teachers and administrators are helping to serve some meals so that there are enough people to staff the lunch sites.
“People are coming together and seeing this need out in our community,” he says, “and what can we do as a team to make sure kids are fed.” Taylor expects to serve up to 4,000 meals per day citywide, and some summer school locations are also serving breakfast in addition to lunch.
(By Grant Gerlock, Iowa Public Radio)