SULLIVAN, Ill. (WAND)- With schools out for the summer, it can be a stressful time for students and families that rely on having access to school meals. A program within the Sullivan School District is working to make sure that no child goes hungry over summer break.
The program provides a breakfast and lunch meal along with cooking instructions that are delivered right to the family's door.
Superintendent of Sullivan Schools Ted Walk says, "We have the ability this year to have students who choose to sign up and they're able to receive weekly meals that encompass a breakfast and lunch."
The program was created during the Covid-19 pandemic but has continued to grow and thrive in the years since. This year over 800 families are being served. Deliveries include the kids favorite school lunches, breakfast items, snacks, and grocery essentials.
"If you have three kids, three gallons of milk will stretch a long way and really help when it comes to food budgets."
When it comes to signing up kids do not have to be current students to be able to receive meals. Any child under the age of 18 years old is eligible to be a part of the program.
This is made possible because at least 50% of the families within the district are considered to be low income, letting the school district meet the threshold be able to serve every child in the community.
"If you have a student who's 18 years or under, and that goes all the way down to you know one years old and two years old, it doesn't have to be a school aged student, we're able to provide food for anyone in that range."
While it is exciting for the kids to have meals delivered to their home, one of the things they look forward to the most is the opportunity to see their teachers during the summer. Teachers and other staff members volunteer to drive vans or buses to make food deliveries to everyone that is participating in the program.
"A lot of them, one of the things that some of the kids enjoy almost as much as the food is getting to see their teachers out there delivering the meals, so it is a really neat program."
The main goal of this program is to ensure that students and other members of the Sullivan community have access to nutritious meals over the summer.
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