Since children are hungry not just during the school year, many school districts (not just the large urban districts) are starting to offer summer free lunch programs for students.
Brandywine Schools on the Indiana border on the southwest side of Niles is one such school district.
"After being notified that the district qualified to take part in the program, (a major qualifier being a population with 50 percent reduced lunch students) (Sue) Furney (the district's financial officer) said food service officials went through a one day training course at the state’s capital to prepare them and educate them on the program.
A program that could have a very significant impact on hungry tummies.
“During the school year, they (children) have a lunch available to them,” Furney said. “In the summertime, they don’t have a structured school program to provide that for them. So our question was – how many kids maybe aren’t eating a lunch at home?”
Some students may not even have lunch materials available to them, she said, especially if parents are unemployed or struggling to make ends meet.
Lunches will be served at Merritt Elementary School, 1620 LaSalle Ave. in Niles."
www.nilesstar.com/2010/06/04/who-says-theres-no-free-lunch/** Statistics on free/reduced lunch participation are available in statewide data or by district or even building in spreadsheet format at:
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