NAMPA, Idaho — Governor Little put child hunger in the spotlight by officially declaring next week to be Summer Food Service Program Awareness Week.
During the school year, many kids rely on free or reduced meals, and during summer break, many of them are left questioning where their next meal will come from. That's why the Summer Food Service Program is so important.
"Any children 18 or younger can participate and receive a free meal," said Mary Ann Liby, the Summer Food Coordinator for the Idaho State Department of Education.
The Summer Food Service program offers free healthy meals throughout parks in the Treasure Valley during lunch hours. In hopes of filling the void when school meal programs are not operating.
"We play, and then we eat at 12 because the food is at noon, "AJ Flores, who comes to grab food weekly.
AJ Flores says he has been grabbing a free meal for a few years now with his family.
"It lets us get out of the house; it lets us be outdoors and just have more fun," said Flores.
AJ's mother Anai says she's grateful for the program and brings her kids daily to grab a meal. They qualify for reduced lunches during the school year and say it's great to be able to get that financial break during the summer.
"If you have two jobs, you don't qualify for hardly anything. So we have fallen into that. Where both parents have to go out of the home and work," said Anai Flores
According to the Idaho Food Bank, around 156,640 families are food insecure, and over 8.2% are Idaho children.
"I don't want families to feel like they are on an island or alone on this; there are certainly resources available for them once the school year ends," said Evan Curry, Director of Programs and Partnerships, for the Idaho Food Bank.
Last summer, the program was offered at more than 235 sites across Idaho, serving more than 860,000 meals.
