WEST JORDAN, Utah — Food is what makes the heart in Heartland Elementary so strong, so when that final bell rings this school year, they’ll still have plenty of options for breakfast and lunch.
Principal Buddy Alger said many of their students are on free or reduced lunch.
“What that means is that students are experiencing some financial difficulties at home, so they’re eligible to have the school pay for their breakfast and lunch,” Alger said.
The Jordan School District’s nutrition services director, Katie Bastian, said a lot of students rely on these meals at school. That’s why they work hard to make sure these meals are well-balanced and available for everyone.
“At the Jordan School District, we open all the sites that we qualify to serve summer meals, so we have five locations open this summer,” Bastian said.
The details for their program can be found on their website, and the locations include Heartland Elementary, Majestic Elementary, Westvale Elementary, Oquirrh Elementary and Columbia Elementary. They’re all located in West Jordan and are open Monday through Friday, starting June 9 to August 1.
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Bastian said it’s open to the public, so even if you’re not from the district, you can come for a free meal if you’re 18 years old or younger. Adult prices vary for breakfast and lunch.
At the Utah Food Bank, they’re also working to be a part of the same solution by providing free meals in the summer.
“Summer’s here now. A lot of times, parents are working. A lot of times, that food budget gets stretched more and more because additional food is needed at home, and it becomes a real challenge for families,” said Ginette Bott, the president and CEO of Utah Food Bank.
Bott said their summer feeding sites are set up in most of Utah’s counties. You can find the exact locations by searching on their website.
“Our goal this year is to provide 215,000 lunches for kids throughout the locations that we’re responsible for. Other groups have goals just like ours.” Bott added.
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As the Utah Food Bank and Jordan School District prepare to serve hundreds of meals a day this summer, they’re just hoping Utah families in need take advantage of their programs.
“Our community is better when we ourselves are better. We are teaching children to make themselves their best selves by caring for others and caring for their community,” Alger said.
The Salt Lake City School District is another that's offering free meals to kids this summer. In addition to some schools, the SLCSD will also serve meals at libraries and parks. More information can be found HERE.
Families in other districts should check their school district website to learn if there are free meals.
