News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Van Buren Schools received a No Kid Hungry Grant that will allow them to extend their summer feeding program.
Van Buren Supervisor of Nutrition Marlene DeLong said the school provides meals during the school year, but children lose access to those meals during the summer.
She said the school relies on multiple grants to provide this needed service.
“We are able to feed children through the month of July,” DeLong said. “And the grant is going to help us because a lot of the children throughout the summer months do not have a way to get nutritious meals otherwise.”
Delong said the school normally provides food through June 29 and they were thankful to have the additional support to extend that service. She said the grant also covers the cost to promote awareness of the feeding program and to partner with community organizations to support access to the meal program.
Delong said the meals are distributed at five different locations throughout the county scheduled on different days of the week. She said the meals include fresh fruits and vegetables through another grant the school had obtained.
“Last year we received $4,850 so I’m really excited that this year we recieved more money,” DeLong said.
Delong offered a favorite quote to summarize the school’s pursuit of assistance for the feeding program:
“We don’t want children to have to struggle with an empty stomach or stress about when they will eat again, so this grant will help reach more kids with the food they need to grow up healthy educated and strong, said by Marissa Spady,” DeLong said.
