Montana summer program offers free meals to kids

More than 50 kids were at Lincoln-McKinley Primary School Tuesday at noon, eating lunch, joking with each other and having a good time.

The session was part of a summer program funded by the Montana Office of Public Instruction that provides free breakfasts and lunches for youngsters A staff of four prepares and serves the meals. The staff is headed by Carol Wolf, who hopes that as the summer moves on, more people will take part.

She said young people will have a good time and they will be fed a nutritious and tasty meal.

Meals much like school lunches will be offered every day, she said.

As she glanced at the menu for upcoming days, she said she expected young people to be attracted by them.

“Grilled cheese and tomato soup, that’s always a popular one,” she said, looking at the menu.

Twice a week, the young people are offered cereal for breakfast, while there are other offerings the rest of the week.

The staff is excited at the opportunity, she said.

It’s been several years since there has been a program like this, Wolf said.

Adults are also welcome, she said, but there is a charge. For breakfast, adults are charged $2, while they pay $3.50 for lunch, she said.

“I know there is a need for this,” she said. “I would just encourage people to bring their kids here so we can feed them.”

“I would love to have 100 kids here, or even 200.”

“By word of mouth and the media, we can get a lot more,” she said.

Kim Wavrick, another employee of the program, stressed that the no district money is going into the program. It’s being funded by the state.

The free lunch program will operate five days a week at Lincoln-McKinley School. The hours are:

• Breakfast: 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

• Lunch: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.