Barnes
School is out, and Seymour Community School Corp. wants to make sure kids have enough food to eat this summer.
The corporation is once again participating in the federal Summer Food Service Program, offering free meals to all children through the age of 18 beginning Monday.
The free program, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, will run four weeks at Seymour High School and eight weeks at Margaret R. Brown Elementary School and Seymour Middle School.
Gov. Eric Holcomb has declared the week of June 5 through 11 as Summer Food Service Program Week.
Stacey Townsend is the director of child nutrition programs for Seymour schools, and Audrey Barnes is the child nutrition program coordinator.
Barnes coordinates the summer meal program and said their team has been busy making preparations, moving food and getting things ready for the summer.
“To receive the meals, kids do not have to be Seymour Community Schools students or even attending school,” Barnes said. “Any child from any county from any school district age 18 and younger will not be turned away.”
Barnes said they will be distributing meals at the three schools Monday through Friday.
“The program looks a little different this year than it has the past couple of years with COVID,” Barnes said. “The food will no longer be taken off campus, and curbside pickup and mobile delivery will not be taking place, so there will be in-person dining only at all three school locations.”
She said with the construction going on at the high school, dates of the summer meals have been narrowed down for that location.
Seymour High School summer meals will be served weekdays with breakfast from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. and lunch from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. June 6 through July 1. Meals at Brown Elementary and Seymour Middle School will be served weekdays from 8 to 9 a.m. for breakfast and from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for lunch.
The schools will be closed for the Fourth of July holiday but will be open July 5.
Barnes said they are trying some new meals, such as cinnamon toast and eggs or Belgian waffles for breakfast and sloppy joes and a Texas toast ham and cheese for lunch, but the menu will vary every couple of weeks.
“Getting kids meals through the summer is huge, and the program fed thousands of kids last year, and we’re hoping to do the same this year, and I think the need is there,” she said. “If we can supply five days worth of meals, we’ll know they will be fed for at least those five days.”
Barnes said some fun activities for the kids are being planned for this summer with more details to come later.
According to feedingindianashungry.org, the program during the summer months should be filling the food gap for the thousands of low-income Hoosier children who rely on school breakfast and lunch during the school year to help keep hunger at bay.
Not only do children benefit from the free meals, but they also benefit from the enrichment activities that keep them learning and engaged.
The best way to meet children’s needs over the summer is with healthy meals that are served in positive community environments while the children’s parents are working.
If you go
What: Seymour Community School Corp. Summer Food Service Program
Where: Margaret R. Brown Elementary School, 550 Miller Lane, and Seymour Middle School, 920 N. O’Brien St.
When: 8 to 9 a.m. breakfast, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. lunch, Monday through Friday, June 6 to July 29
Where: Bus lobby at Seymour High School, 1350 W. Second St.
When: 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. breakfast, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. lunch, Monday through Friday, June 6 to July 1
Who: Children and teens through age 18
Cost: Free (no registration required)