Kids eat free in summer LUNCH

Food provided in June and July for SCP children

With St. Charles Parish’s “Summer Food Service” program gearing up for June and July, parents can rest easier knowing their children can get healthy meals without having to pull a penny out of their pocket to pay for them.

And you don’t have to be poor to take advantage. Meals will be served to all kids regardless of how much money their parents have. And if you’re disabled, you can get the freebies up to age 25.

The St. Charles Parish School Board approved the program that is sponsored and paid for by the parish and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Meals will be served in the cafeterias of St. Rose Elementary, E.J. Landry Alternative Center, and R.J. Vial Elementary schools.

The parish’s share of the funding is $60,000.
The outreach helps communities provide meals to children age 18 and under as long as 50 percent or more of the students are approved for free or reduced meals.

All children in the district are eligible regardless of economic status.
Each day during the program, local children are served lunch between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., St. Charles Community Service Director Robel Howard told the Herald-Guide.

Howard’s assistant, Barbara Dorsey, has been working closely with him to make sure the program is a winner each and every year – and they say it has been.
“We’ve been doing this since the 1980’s,” Dorsey said. “The program has been very successful and we see more kids every year.”

Dorsey added that anyone age 18-25 who are handicapped or disabled and enrolled in a state school could also take part in the program.
The program begins June 4 and runs through July 19 but will be closed for the week of July 4.

The Boutte Christian Academy will also be participating in the Summer Food Service Program starting May 23 and operating through Aug. 10 serving breakfast from 7:30 a.m. and lunch from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and will be closed on May 28 and July 4.

For more information on the Summer Food Service program contact St. Charles Community Service at (985) 783-5025.