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Utah Food Bank, school districts offering free meals for kids this summer

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WEST JORDAN, Utah — As schools let out, Utah children will still have a place to eat during the summer months.

The Jordan School District is once again offering a free Summer Food Service Program by participating in the USDA's Seamless Summer Option.

"We have a dietician on our office who goes and analyzes everything. So we make sure all the food components, fruits, vegetables, meats, grains, milk, everything is being served," said Katie Bastian, the district's nutrition services director.

The program kicked off on Monday and will go through August 4. Excluding holidays on June 19, July 4 and July 24, free breakfast and lunch will be offered at five different sites across the district for kids 18 years old and younger.

Those five sites include:

  • Columbia Elementary, 3505 W 7800 S, West Jordan
  • Heartland Elementary, 1451 W 7000 S, West Jordan
  • Majestic Elementary, 7430 S Redwood Road, West Jordan
  • Oquirrh Elementary, 7165 S Paddington Road, West Jordan
  • South Valley School, 8400 S Redwood Road, West Jordan

"The schools where we offer it are sites that qualify because their population is over 50% free and reduced students, so there's obviously a need in the areas," said Bastian.
Last summer, the district served a little more than 20,000 lunches and 3,400 breakfasts at their five summer meal sites.

Becky Ramage was at Columbia Elementary School in West Jordan on Tuesday with her three kids and her friend.

"During summertime, it gets expensive to feed kids," said Ramage.

She says she has been utilizing free summer meal programs for her kids and the ones she babysits for about a decade.

"The option of a free meal is extremely important because it financially saves us," said Ramage.

The Utah Food Bank is also doing what they can to help.

Ginette Bott, the president and CEO of the Utah Food Bank, says they are responsible for 58 sites across the state, with the goal of providing 176,000 meals for Utah kids this summer.

In collaboration with school districts across the state, Bott says there are more than 300 sites providing meals this summer.

These free summer meals consist of breakfast, lunch or supper at different locations in Salt Lake, Utah, Washington, Weber, Davis, Iron, San Juan, and Grand counties.

"We have 289,000 people in the state of Utah that are faced with insecurity and in that number one in nine of those are kids," said Bott.

She says the summer months are generally their busiest time when it comes to the need, but also the slowest when it comes to donations.

FOX 13 News asked how they prepare for that, in order to be able to provide free meals for kids across the Beehive State.

"We've been planning for this for weeks and weeks and I'll say probably at least eight weeks solid because we have to confirm locations, we have to align vehicles," said Bott.

Parents like Rampage enjoy the program.

"It's an opportunity to get the kids out of their house and something good to eat and some exercise in, I think it's a great program," said Ramage.

For a complete list of resources in your area you can text "FOOD" to 304-304. You can also visit their website HERE.

In addition, the Salt Lake City School District gives the following list of sites and dates for free school lunches:

Community Park Sites and SLC Main Library

SLC Main Library

210 East 400 South

Salt Lake City, UT 84106

June 13-August 15

10:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Lunch, Monday-Friday

Fairmont Park

1040 East Sugarmont Dr. (2225 S.)

Salt Lake City, UT 84106

June 13-August 15

11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Lunch, Monday-Friday

Jordan Park

1060 South 900 West
Salt Lake City, UT 84104

June 13-August 15

11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Lunch, Monday-Friday

Liberty Park

600 East 900 South

Salt Lake City, UT 84105

June 13-August 15

11:00 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Lunch, Monday-Friday

Meadows Community Park

1920 West 400 North

Salt Lake City, UT 84116

June 13-August 15

11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Lunch, Monday-Friday

Riverside Park

1500 West 600 North

Salt Lake City, UT 84116

June 13-August 15

10:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Lunch, Monday-Friday

Sherwood Park

1450 West 400 South

Salt Lake City, UT 84014

June 13-August 15

11:15 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Lunch, Monday-Friday

 

Summer School Sites (open to the public)

Edison Elementary

430 South Cheyenne

Salt Lake City, UT 84104

June 20 – July 28

8- 8:45 a.m. Breakfast, Monday-Thursday

11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Lunch, Monday-Thursday

Escalante Elementary

1810 West 900 North

Salt Lake City, UT 84116

June 20 – July 28

8- 8:45 a.m. Breakfast, Monday-Thursday

11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Lunch, Monday-Thursday

Liberty Elementary

1085 South Roberta St.
Salt Lake City, UT 84111

June 20 – July 28

8- 8:45 a.m. Breakfast, Monday-Thursday

11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Lunch, Monday-Thursday

Mary W. Jackson Elementary

750 West 200 North

Salt Lake City, UT 84116

June 13 – August 11

8- 8:45 a.m. Breakfast*, Monday-Thursday

11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Lunch, Monday-Friday

Mountain View Elementary

1380 South 1340 West Navajo St.

Salt Lake City, UT 84104

June 20 – July 28

8- 8:450 a.m. Breakfast, Monday-Thursday

11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Lunch, Monday-Thursday

Nibley Park School

2785 South 800 East

Salt Lake City, UT 84106

June 20 – July 28

8- 8:45 a.m. Breakfast, Monday-Thursday

11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Lunch, Monday-Thursday

Newman Elementary

1269 North Colorado St.

Salt Lake City, UT 84116

June 20 – July 28

8- 8:45 a.m. Breakfast, Monday-Thursday

11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Lunch, Monday-Thursday

North Star Elementary

1545 North Morton Dr.

Salt Lake City, UT 84116

June 20 – July 28

8- 8:45 a.m. Breakfast, Monday-Thursday

11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Lunch, Monday-Thursday

Parkview Elementary

970 South Emery St.

Salt Lake City, UT 84104

June 20 – July 28

8- 8:45 a.m. Breakfast, Monday-Thursday

11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Lunch, Monday-Thursday

Riley Elementary

1410 South 800 West

Salt Lake City, UT 84104

June 20 – August 2

8- 8:45 a.m. Breakfast**, Monday-Thursday

11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Lunch, Monday-Friday

Rose Park Elementary

1105 West 1000 North

Salt Lake City, UT 84116

June 20 – July 28

8- 8:45 a.m. Breakfast, Monday-Thursday

11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Lunch, Monday-Thursday

West High School

241 North 300 West

Salt Lake City, UT 84103

June 20 – July 20

8- 8:45 a.m. Breakfast, Monday-Thursday

11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Lunch, Monday-Thursday

The following notes were also included:

  • All sites will be closed on Monday, June 19 (in honor of the Juneteenth holiday), Tuesday, July 4 (Independence Day), and Monday, July 24, 2023 (Pioneer Day).
  • All school sites will be open Friday on June 23, July 7, and July 28 (to accommodate the holidays).
  • * Mary W. Jackson Elementary will not serve breakfast on June 13-16, July 14, 21, 31, or Aug. 1-11.
  • ** Riley Elementary will not serve breakfast on July 14, 21, 31, or Aug. 1-2.

Families in other school districts can check their district's websites or social media pages for information on free lunch programs.