Children that struggle to eat during the summer months now have a summer school feeding program that gives them places to go to get food.
The Summer Food Service Program, sponsored by the State of Ohio, is coming to Trotwood starting June 4 to help feed students while school is out for the summer, according to News Center 7's Caroline Reinwald.
Employees in the Trotwood-Madison High School kitchen are working through the summer to make plates to feed students throughout the summer months. "We have roughly 30 employees that range from bus drivers within the district, food service personnel within the district, and some of the educational staff within the district," said Jim Putnam, Supervisor of Nutrition Services for Trotwood-Madison Schools. These employees help feed between 600 and 1,000 children a day - at 16 different Trotwood locations.
Children under the age of 18 can go to specified sites for a free meal, which are normally open Monday through Friday and last about 45 minutes. Children are seen more when their family starts running out of food stamps. "We actually do see that quite a bit. The numbers tend to go up towards the end of the month and then once you get towards the beginning of the month it tends to drop off when benefits are available," said Putnam.
1 in 5 children in the the Miami Valley are unsure where their next meal is coming from - and some even go hungry, especially during the summer months. During the school year, they get food from the cafeteria and the "School Backpack Programs." There are at least 65 summer food service programs across Montgomery County, and more than 1,600 in the state of Ohio.
For a full list of those specific food sites around the Miami Valley, and more information on how you can get your student involved in these programs throughout the summer months, visit whio.com.
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