Meal program serves kids and adults throughout summer

Danessa Terrill, Food Service Director for Kimball Public Schools, is serving up free breakfast and lunch at Mary Lynch Elementary during the summer.

Funding received for the program comes from nutrition services through the Nebraska Department of Education, as well as the USDA for families to eat a good meal on a daily basis for free.

The kids head to the school with parents, babysitters, and or friends for breakfast and or lunch and sometimes an added bonus of playtime in the gym. Many will head to the hula hoops or the jump ropes once finished with their meals ready to play and interact with others.

The free meals are open to everyone Monday through Friday every week during the summer. Breakfast is from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., an average of around 25 people attend for the morning meal. Once lunchtime rolls around the cafeteria expands to a range of 70 to 90 people.

On average, approximately eight adults accompany the children, eating and sharing quality time together.

Lunch is served at noon and many kids will show up in bathing suits ready to enjoy an afternoon swim at the pool when lunch is finished at 1 p.m.

According to Terrill, many parents are thankful for this program and are comforted knowing they do not need to leave money for meals or need a babysitter who can cook for their children. This is exactly what Terrill was hoping for. She found a program that provides anyone with two meals each weekday.

"It is a lot of fun! I get to see the children again. There are not as many kids as there are in the school year, but the ones that do come, definitely make it enjoyable," Terrill said.