Free meals available to children through Aug. 14

 

Beginning Monday, children in need throughout Lawrence County can get nutritious lunches to supplement missed meals during summer vacation.

The Ironton-Lawrence County Community Action Organization will sponsor the Ohio Department of Education’s Summer Food Service Program through mid-August at various sites throughout the county.

According to Matthew Martin, youth program coordinator for the CAO, about 26,000 meals will be served during the 10-week program. All meals will be prepared at Ironton Middle School and transported to the various hosing sites.

Through the program, free meals will be provided to children age 1-18 or to individuals with disabilities through age 21 who participate in a recognized school program for individuals with developmental or physical disabilities

The program begins Monday and runs Monday-Friday through Aug. 14. The program will not operate on Friday, July 3.

Meals will be provided at the following sites:

• Lawrence Village Apartments — 12-1 p.m.

• Ironton Middle School — 8:30-9:30 a.m. (breakfast); 12-1 p.m. (lunch)

• Ironton High School — 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

• Ironton Metropolitan Housing Authority — 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

• First Baptist Church in Ironton — 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

• Collins Career Center — 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

• Chesapeake United Methodist Church — 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m.

• Burlington Common Park — 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

• Storm Creek Apartments — 12-1 p.m.

• Rock Hill Schools — 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Meals will be provided to all children without charge and are the same for all children regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability, and there will no discrimination in the course of the meal service.

The SFSP is a reimbursable program through the Ohio Department of Education.

In a separate program, the Southeast Ohio Food Bank and Kitchen will host a Summer Food Program at several locations in the region. Its only Lawrence County site will be at the Country Hearth Inn in South Point.

Also beginning Monday, the meals will be provided from 1:45-2:30 p.m. on Tuesdays only through Aug. 11.

There are no income requirements and the age requirements are the same as for the CAO’s program. The meals must be eaten on-site.

To see a listing of the SE Ohio Food Bank’s other sites in Athens, Gallia, Hocking and Perry counties, visit www.hapcap.org/summerfeeding.

In addition, Jodie Hunt, coordinator of the BackPack Buddies program, which provides school children with take-home weekend meals, said families in need of emergency assistance can call her at 740-534-3550 for more information.