Approximately 4,500 meals are provided weekly to kids across Jefferson County through a United States Department of Agriculture food and nutrition services campaign titled the Summer Food Service Program, according to Holly Camp, administrator for food service operations for Jefferson County.
The federally funded, summer season program provides children up to the age of 18 with free lunches through July 31, and offers parents and guardians a meal at a reduced price.
"If you're over 18, lunch is $2.75, and that doesn't include the cost of milk," she said.
"It's a great opportunity for kids to get the nutrition they need when school isn't in session," she said. "And I would rather see them eat our food instead of running over to 7-Eleven."
The program has been made available at 18 different Jefferson County schools from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. No lunches are offered on weekends.
According to Camp, the USDA has a strict five-food components regulation, by which every school across the nation must meet. The five components to ensure a nutritious meal, she says, are meat or meat alternative, fruit, vegetables, grain and a milk.
There are no forms to fill out or any means by which an individual's income level would be assessed in order for their children to get the meal, says Camp.
"Our menu changes daily," she said.
The Summer Food Service Program debuted in 1968 as a pilot along with a several others but separated and became its own in 1975, according to Camp.
"It's been a long time," she said. "In 2005, there were 31,000 sites across the nation."
Currently, breakfast is provided only at Lumberg Elementary School, 6705 W. 22nd Ave., Edgewater from 7:30 to 8 a.m.
The 18 sites providing the lunches were selected according to their accessibility, said Camp.
"We try to avoid places (kids) cannot walk to," she said.
Aug. 24 is the first day of school for Jefferson County students, according to Camp, where the normal school year lunch process will begin again.
For more information about the program, or to view a comprehensive list of the schools offering the free and reduced-price lunches, call 303-982-6748 or go to www.jeffcopublicschools.org/food_services.