All districts — After finishing a morning session of summer school, Wyoming High School students made their way through the cafeteria lunch line, grabbing hot dogs, fresh fruit and other staples.
It was well into June, but like during the school year, the students received free breakfast and lunch, thanks to a summer program they appreciate and look forward to each day, they said.
“It’s pretty cool. If it weren’t for the food, I low-key wouldn’t want to go to summer school,” said rising senior Jaden Allred.
“It’s a quick break, and it refuels my energy,” added rising senior Elijah Brown.
Dozens of Kent ISD schools across the region are participating in the U.S. Department of Agriculture Summer Food Service Program, which allows children younger than 18 and people younger than 26 who have disabilities to receive meals and snacks during the summer for no cost at schools, parks, and other neighborhood locations.
‘We can try to do the best we can to make sure Wyoming is fed and not going hungry.’
— Conner Kooyers, Wyoming Public Schools director of dining services
Find locations and program times and dates here
The program, nationally known as SUN Meals, is called “Meet Up and Eat Up” in Michigan, and serves schools that qualify for free or reduced-price meals. It is operated at the local level by program sponsors and is administered in Michigan by the state’s Department of Education Office of Nutrition Services.
“We want to put all students first and make sure they have access to the healthy meals that they need to learn and grow, whether it’s during the school year or the summer,” said State Superintendent Dr. Glenn Maleyko in a press release. “The Summer Food Service Program advances Goal 3 of Michigan’s Top 10 Strategic Education Plan by improving the health, safety and wellness of all learners.”
Last summer, Michigan served nearly nine million meals to children — almost two million more than the year before, according to the press release.
At Wyoming High School, many of the 100 students in the summer school program take advantage of breakfast and lunch, said Conner Kooyers, Wyoming Public Schools director of dining services through Chartwells Food Service. Students can also drop in for meals. Parents and guardians can purchase meals for $7 for lunch, and $4 for breakfast.
The daily menu includes popular summer fare: fresh fruit and vegetables, waffle fries, and hamburgers and hotdogs. Beyond summer school, Kooyers said the program will also serve students in various camps and athletics in the coming weeks.
“Especially for our students in the district, it is a huge thing with all these programs going on. It will alleviate a little bit of stress on the parents. … We are feeding summer school; we will also feed the football team over the course of the summer (and) we will feed band camp.”
The program also offers meals at other neighborhood sites located in areas that have a high level of need, he said.
“It’s reaching out into the community. It’s that access; The more we can go directly to the pockets of need and get food to those individuals is a huge thing. We can try to do the best we can to make sure Wyoming is fed and not going hungry.”
Rising senior Emmanuel Gaines sees it that way too.
“It’s a great way for kids to come to school without worrying about what they are going to have for lunch,” he said.
Rising senior Ricky Meza was happy for his meal: “Uncrustables,” he said, lifting a jelly-filled sandwich pouch. “I like peanut butter.”
Read more from our districts:
• More meals, more options make for busy days for this lunch crew
• Districts are feeding more students due to universal free meals
