Summer Meals Program an Important Part of Kids’ Nutrition

When school breaks for the summer and kids are at home or in camps, many of our residents face an important challenge. Many kids receive a free or reduced-price lunch at school, and that healthy, nutritious meal is an important part of their diet. Working families can find it hard to make up the deficit caused by the absence of such a wholesome, cost free midday meal.
 

That is why summer meals programs are so important and why I was excited to join Governor Dannel Malloy and Education Commissioner Dianna Wentzell as they visited a Summer Meal site at Sunset Ridge School. The Summer Meals Program is a statewide effort, funded by the federal government, to make up the nutrition gap that some children experience when schools are out for the summer. The program is an extension of the free and reduced-price lunch and breakfast programs that already operate at schools in East Hartford and around the state.

This summer East Hartford is operating 14 summer meal sites and has served approximately 48,438 summer meals so far, with over 55,000 expected before school starts up in a few weeks.  This program is essential to many families.

School lunches are a crucial part of good nutrition for many of our youngest residents, and this program ensures them access to healthy meals all year round. Studies have shown that proper nourishment and wholesome, fulfilling meals are essential to the growth and development of our young people. I am very grateful for this program, which alleviates the food insecurities that happen when the school year recesses for the summer.