This summer, children will have access to free breakfasts and lunches at three locations in Brown County.
The meals are funded by the United States Department of Agriculture and are available to children 18 and younger.
Beginning Monday, June 4, meals will be served at the Brown County High School cafeteria and the Brown County YMCA in Nashville, and the Forest Hills Apartment complex in Gnaw Bone.
Meals are prepared by the Brown County Schools food service department.
“The program is important to the community because Brown County School has 1,996 enrolled students including preschool. Of that, 1006 students, or 54.7 percent, are receiving free or reduced meal assistance,” Food Service Director Jason Kirchhofer said.
“These numbers lead me to believe that during the summer vacation Brown County students may experience periods of food insecurity and we are in a position to help.”
Breakfast will be available at the high school from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. and at the YMCA from 8:30 to 8:45 a.m. Breakfast will not be offered at Forest Hills.
Lunch runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the high school; 10:45 to 11:15 a.m. at the YMCA; and from 10:55 to 11:10 a.m. at Forest Hills.
This is the first time the Forest Hills site will be open to the public. In past years, the site has been only for children living in the apartment complex.
Kirchhofer said the Forest Hills site has had low participation rates and that making the site open may help increase that.
“I believe that this open this site to the public will increase the participation and allow us to reach households in the southern part of Brown County,” he said.
All food served follows USDA nutritional guidelines.
No application or proof of income is required to pick up a meal.
Adults also can enjoy a meal alongside children. The cost is $3.45 for adults to eat at any of the sites.
The summer meal program will run from June 4 to July 27. There will be no meal service the week of July 4.
The first day of school will be Wednesday, Aug. 8.
