The countdown is on for the last day of school.  And with the last day of school comes the last day many students will receive free and reduced lunch.   This puts the squeeze on already tight wallets, and for some kids, that translates to either poor food choices or no food choices for at least part of the day.  
While schools in Great Bend, Ellinwood, and Hoisington offer a lunch program for at least part of the week through part of the summer, it takes participation to keep the meals coming.    This year, USD 428 opted to forego summer school, which has gone hand-in-hand with the program for many years.   Participation will be critical as the district weighs the pros and cons of continuing to offer the summer lunch program.  If kids don’t show up, it’s impossible to justify the man-hours required.
The USDA has found that only 17 percent of eligible children participate in the program, and the number one reason for this is because they weren’t aware of the availability of the program.  They either didn’t know where or when they could get a meal, or, in the case of older or very young kids, families didn’t know the program was open to them.    
Any child ages 0-18 can receive lunch free of charge.  That means older brothers and sisters can attend with their younger siblings and enjoy a meal together.  Details about times and locations will be available through the USDA.gov website May 15, and area schools should be nailing down plans in the next few weeks.   Parents should keep an eye out for information from the school and pass on the information to anyone with kids.  The program is open to any child in the district, even those who do not qualify for free and reduced lunches.  
     
--Veronica Coons