Charles City, Rockford schools offer free summer meals to kids

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

The Charles City and Rockford community school districts are participating in a summer food service program, providing free meals to any children that want them.

The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and administered by the Iowa Department of Education.

The Charles City School District announced that meals will be provided to all children without charge and meals are the same for all children.

Meals are served “regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability, and there will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service,” the district said.

Meals are being provided on a first-come, first-served basis at Washington Elementary School, 1406 N. Grand Ave., from 11 a.m. to noon, Monday through Friday. The program is available until June 30.

“Parents are encouraged to accompany their children and are welcome to eat,” the school district said. An adult meal costs $4. No food is to be shared or carried out of the building.

The Rockford Junior-Senior High School is also participating in the summer food program, offering breakfasts and lunches Monday through Friday until July 28, except that there will be no meal service on July 4.

Breakfasts are available first-come, first-served from 7:45 to 8:45 a.m., and lunches are available from 11 a.m. to noon, at 1460 210 St. in Rockford.

The Iowa Department of Education announced this week where Iowa students can find free meals now that school is out for the summer. Charles City and Rockford were the only two sites listed for Floyd County.

“For Iowa kids and families who rely on school meals, summer can be the hungriest time of year, creating short- and long-term consequences for a child’s health, education and well-being,” said Kala Shipley, chief of the Bureau of Nutrition and Health Services at the Iowa Department of Education.

“Making sure kids and teens have access to nutritious meals is especially important this summer,” Shipley said.

The summer food program is designed to feed Iowa students who rely on free or reduced-price meals during the school year, and the summer sites offer free, first-come, first-served meals for all children and teens age 18 and under.

The meals are being served at almost 500 locations around the state this summer, in schools, churches, community centers, parks, libraries, housing complexes and camps.