Hancock summer lunch program feeds area kids

FINDLAY — Free lunches are available to area children this summer as part of Hancock County's Summer Lunch Program, which Findlay City Schools is hosting in partnership with other organizations from throughout the community. Lunches are available to anyone under 18 years old from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday until July 30. No proof of income is required. Children can simply show up at Glenwood Middle School, 1715 N. Main St., Findlay. Meals are also offered Thursday to take home for Friday through the Findlay Family YMCA's Feed-a-Child program. Adults accompanying the children may purchase meals for $4.25 each. Eric Osborn, coordinator of student services for Findlay City Schools, said 49% of the district's students receive free or reduced-price lunch during the school year. That's 2,538 children. These children count on access to this food throughout the school year, he said. "Then, boom, they don't have it," he said. So, the summer lunch program is designed to bridge the gap for families that may be food insecure, ensuring they can still receive food through the summer. A variety of community partners, both individuals and organizations, provide activities for the children to do along with the lunch. "There are a lot of people that jump in," Osborn said. Last year, the program served a total of 761 free meals, with an average daily attendance of around 25 children per day. This year's program started on Monday, and so far is averaging closer to 35 children per day, Osborn said. He said this year's figures also include students at the district's "kindergarten boot camp" currently taking place. Youths participating in a basketball camp at Glenwood this week are also invited to lunch. Osborn said the Salvation Army brings a group of children. Some children who live nearby may also walk or bike over individually while their parents are working. The FCS food and nutrition department prepares a hot meal each day, always offering a sunbutter-and-jelly sandwich as an alternative. Lindsay Paul, cafeteria operations manager for the school district, said the menu includes two fruits and two vegetables offered each day. They are alternating different items and trying to gauge what children like and are more eager to eat. Paul said the school district has been trying to raise awareness that they are here for families who may be struggling this summer. "I'm sure it's tough," she said. State funding from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce provides the food. During the school year, federal funding pays for free and reduced-price lunches. While Findlay City Schools is hosting the program at Glenwood, Osborn emphasized that it's available not only to the district's students, but any Hancock County child under age 18. "We just want to make sure we're meeting the needs of our community, and especially our youth," Osborn said. Osborn said the activities taking place during the lunch are intended to make it more fun for the children and give them a chance to connect with other aspects of the community. Partnering organizations providing activities include the Black Swamp Area Council of Scouting America, the Findlay fire and police departments, the Hancock Park District and the Marathon Center for the Performing Arts, among others. Osborn said the Kiwanis Club of Findlay and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5645 secured donations to reimburse the individuals serving as lunch monitors. Chandlar Cramer, operations director for the Findlay Family YMCA, was at Glenwood Wednesday to share the "Y on the Fly" program with children. Cramer said this is essentially a way to bring the Y outside the walls of the facility and share it with others. She was offering information on upcoming summer camps, as well as coloring and activity books with educational information about pool safety. "We're here for the community," she said. "That's our mission statement. For all." She said the YMCA team recognizes that people's need for food doesn't end when the school year does. Elisha Isenbarger, rape crisis case manager and family advocate at Open Arms Domestic Violence & Rape Crisis Services, and Lauren Schintok, the organization's prevention and education coordinator, were at Glenwood Wednesday leading children in making bracelets symbolizing gratitude. Children were asked to write things they were thankful for, with each item corresponding to a color. Then they strung beads of those colors to create the bracelets. Isenbarger said it was part of "just trying to promote that positivity." The bracelets would then be tangible items children could take with them, to remind them what they are thankful for. Schintok said Open Arms' prevention efforts include educating people on healthy relationships. Abbie Acord and Shelby Bence, both prevention educators at Family Resource Center, work with children during the school year to help them learn life skills, emotion regulation and social skills. On Wednesday they had a "feelings thermometer" that children could color, ranging from a low of "sad or lonely" to a high of "furious or overwhelmed," with options like "OK, happy or calm" in between. Acord said that, while children colored, they could also talk about feelings and how to cope. Alyssa Kaseman, Feed-a-Child coordinator at the YMCA, said her program had been delivering meals every Friday to schools throughout the school year. During the summer, they are sending packed food bags to Glenwood, which children can pick up on Thursday to take home for Friday. Feed-a-Child will also soon be supplying weekly boxes of 5 to 6 pounds of food supplied by the Ohio Association of Foodbanks. These will also be taken to Glenwood for families who sign up. While the hot lunches are available for any child, the food boxes are available only to families whose income qualifies them for this assistance, and they must fill out an application. Feed-a-Child receives funding through grants and donations, with supporters including the United Way of Hancock County, Marathon Petroleum Corp., Ohio Logistics and a variety of other individuals and organizations. Kaseman said they feed an average of 875 to 900 students each week during the school year. Kaseman added that the program will be seeking volunteers to help pack Feed-a-Child bags toward the end of this summer. They are also encouraging individuals or businesses who can offer financial support to reach out.