Unless you work with children in our area you are probably unaware of how many of them attend school hungry and go home to empty tables.  Some days their only meal is lunch provided at school.  There is even a weekend backpack program through Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank that ensures that on Friday the kids go home with food until Monday.  But, what do they do in the summer?

During the summer many of these kids can receive free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs.  The Summer Food Service Program is not new to the area, and they're seeing their numbers increase each year.  They are able to provide a nutritious breakfast and lunch at multiple locations in our community.  Hopefully this eases the stress for some parents and even the children when they are wondering where their next meal is coming from and they are hungry.

Criteria for the free breakfast and lunch program is that children must be 18 or younger.  If an adult is with the child/children they can eat at a reduced cost and no application is needed for either.  Breakfast hours are 8-10:30 a.m., and lunch hours are 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Meals are provided at the following elementary schools:  Myers-Wilkins, Piedmont, Lester Park, Stowe, Laura MacArthur and LowellLincoln Park Middle School and Denfeld High School are also locations that offer the meals.  The Lincoln Park Boys and Girls Club at 2407 W 4th Street in Duluth offers brown bag lunches.

Info via: Second Harvest Heartland & Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank

More From B105