Children across West Virginia will have access to free, nutritious meals this summer as low-cost food programs roll out across the state.
Many of these school lunch programs have already started, with others kicking off as schools let out in their respective counties. These programs will offer USDA approved food choices and are available to any child who needs to take advantage of them.
Last year, the summer food program served an average of 10,254 children every day, the coordinator of the state's Office of Child Nutrition, Cybele Boehm, wrote in an email. This year, the office is hoping to serve even more, she wrote.
To accomplish this goal, the Office of Child Nutrition has been working with the USDA on social media campaigns to spread the word. Sponsoring food banks have also taken to Facebook and Twitter to raise awareness.
Facing Hunger Foodbank is one of the Office of Child Nutrition's sponsoring agencies for the summer season, providing meals at eight sites in Cabell and Mason counties.
Cyndi Kirkhart, the food bank's executive director, said this is the third year the agency has collaborated with the Office of Child Nutrition to help feed kids over the summer. On average, she said, the food bank serves around 6,000 meals to children from June to August.
This year, the food bank is adding more nutritious options to kids' plates, having received funding from the West Virginia Feed to Achieve Act. The legislation makes it possible for the food bank to incorporate fresh fruit and vegetables into a child's meal and teach them about making better food choices.
Kirkhart said that providing summer meals is the next logical step from the food bank's backpack program. During the school year, the agency sends students home with a backpack full of food for the weekend.
But in the summer, there's no way to guarantee that children are receiving the proper amount of food. That's why the food bank joined the Office of Child Nutrition's partner program three years ago, said Kirkhart.
Kirkhart, who has personally served hundreds of the lunches, said that it's an essential service for the children and a rewarding experience for the adult volunteers.
"It's incredible," Kirkhart said. "The kids are excited that there's an option for lunch and that we provide some of their favorite foods."
Kirkhart said that it's also nice to check in with the kids during the summer months when they may not have a parental figure to keep an eye on them. Offering kids a safe, social environment with approachable adults is a vital part of the program, she said.
"It's really about socializing and modeling behavior," Kirkhart said.
At the end of the summer, Kirkhart said that she and the other Facing Hunger Foodbank volunteers have a difficult time letting go of the kids they've grown to know during the summer months, but that they're all happy to have made a positive impact on each others' lives.
Currently, 207 sites have been approved throughout the state, but Boehm said the Office of Child Nutrition expects to approve more in the next couple weeks.
For a compete list of the summer lunch sites, visit http://wvde.state.wv.us/ocn-download/Forms/SFSP/2016/SFSPSites2016.pdf.
Reach Jared Casto at jared.casto@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-4832 or follow @JaredCasto on Twitter.