Food Bank meals fill gap left when school ends in Del.
Children around the country have trouble finding food in the summer once school lets out, but in Sussex County the size and low-density nature of the area poses unique challenges to charities trying to help.
"They are miles and miles away from other forms of life," said Dan Jackson, Hunger Relief Coordinator for the Food Bank of Delaware. "Students no longer have transportation for these schools, they have to find something local, something safe and close to their home that they could walk to so they can get some free meals."
In the summer time, the number of meals the Food Bank produces quadruples throughout the state, Jackson said. To help fill in for the loss of school meals, the Food Bank has a Summer Food Service Program, which provides similar meals to day cares, churches, camps — anywhere the food is needed by children.
"If children are gathered somewhere we want to make sure they can eat," Jackson said. "Everything we do is free."
To qualify, 50 percent or more of the children who frequent the site must be eligible for free or reduced lunch at school. If a site doesn't meet that threshold, Jackson said they can also send questionnaires out to parents to get proof of income eligibility for 50 percent or more of the children.
Sites can pick two of the following — breakfast, lunch, a.m. snack, p.m. snack or dinner, though they cannot have both lunch and dinner as the meal is the same, Jackson said.
At Lingo Creek Apartments on Long Neck Road in Millsboro, about 20 children get lunch in the summer through the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 28. Vice president and community service chair Carol Feely said the kids are always eager when they arrive.
"It's hard for the parents if they have to work and leave their children," she said. "It gives the children a guaranteed lunch. The kids enjoy it, and we enjoy doing it."
The program, which starts June 16, will serve an estimated 1,500 children in Sussex County this summer. And Jackson said they are always looking for more — about 15,000 students in Sussex qualified for free or reduced lunch during the 2012-2013 school years.
"That shows you, we're trying to get more on," Jackson said. "Don't be shy speak up, get us out there. The more people that come to us the more people we can help."
Feeding children in Sussex County poses a unique challenge, Jackson said, because of the size of the area and Delaware's largest county.
"I would say the need in Sussex County, in my own personal opinion, would be a little bit greater, reason being how open Sussex County is," Jackson said. "Meaning children would have to go a long way just to go somewhere where there might be a summer feeding site. New Castle County is greater in the number of children that qualify at 35,000, but it's harder to reach the children down in Sussex County."
Sussex County has an area of 936 square miles, at 210.6 persons per square miles, while New Castle County has 426 square miles at 1,263 persons per square mile and Kent County has 586 square miles with 276 persons per square mile, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
If you have a daycare, camp or other program that would qualify, call Jackson at 302-444-8128 or email djackson@fbd.org. To find out where meals are served, call 211.
rpacella@dmg.gannett.com
302-537-1881, ext. 207
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