skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Friday, March 29, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

Summer Meals and More Being Served for Oregon Kids

play audio
Play

Thursday, June 4, 2015   

PORTLAND, Ore. – This summer, more than 130 sponsors at almost 900 sites across the state are ready to provide nutritious lunches and, in many cases, learning activities for children who would otherwise be on their own when school is out.

Annie Kirschner, director of programs for Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon, says even small organizations can launch a summer food program – and food costs are reimbursed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, so the benefits reach beyond feeding hungry children.

"Last summer, the program leveraged $6.4 million in federal reimbursement, which came directly into communities across the state – and helped buy milk, and fruit and vegetables, and create jobs, and pay for gas, and all those things that also help the community," she points out.

New reports out this week from the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) and Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon estimate between 35,000 and 45,000 meals are served daily in summer nutrition programs statewide.

However, compared to those who receive free or reduced-price lunches during the school year, fewer than one in five children get them during the summer.

The most successful summer meal programs combine food and fun, with activities to keep children coming back.

Renea Wood, director of program development at the YMCA of Klamath Falls, says meal providers and activity providers have formed a new Summer Food Program Coalition to help each other – and increase the number of meals served.

"For the last few years, we've had a robust summer food program, but it's been sponsors running solo, kind of doing projects all over the county on their own,” she explains. “And this year, we've had all those sponsors come to the table, sitting down with us and helping us increase activities at these summer food sites."

Wood says the focus of many of the summer activities will be physical fitness and nutrition.

In rural areas, some programs go mobile, bringing the food to the children. Dana Rudy, nutrition services supervisor for the Crook County School District, says its vans will be visiting several parks this summer.

"I think it's really important here,” she states. “We are probably at about 68 or 69 percent free-and-reduced lunches. Those kids really don't have a lot of access to that food that they'd normally have during the school year, in the summertime. So, we're trying to do the best that we can to reach as many of those kids as we can."

The van deliveries have allowed Crook County to increase the number of meals served by almost five times.

There are summer meal programs in every Oregon county except Lake and Wheeler.




get more stories like this via email

more stories
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments this week about the popular abortion pill Mifepristone and will weigh in on whether the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was correct in how it can be dosed and prescribed. (Ascannio/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Missouri residents are worried about future access to birth control. The latest survey from The Right Time, an initiative based in Missouri…


Social Issues

play sound

Wisconsin children from low-income families are now on track to get nutritious foods over the summer. Federal officials have approved the Badger …

Social Issues

play sound

Almost 2,900 people are unsheltered on any given night in the Beehive State. Gov. Spencer Cox is celebrating signing nine bills he says are geared …


The U.S. teaching workforce remains primarily white while the percentage of Black teachers has declined. However, the percentage of Asian and Latinx teachers is rising.(WavebreakMediaMicro/Adobestock)

Social Issues

play sound

Education advocates are calling on lawmakers to increase funding for programs to combat the teacher shortage. Around 37% of schools nationwide …

Environment

play sound

New York's Legislature is considering a bill to get clean-energy projects connected to the grid faster. It's called the RAPID Act, for "Renewable …

Social Issues

play sound

Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …

Social Issues

play sound

Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021