Hot Meals, Cold Economy: Uptick in Summer Lunch Program

Share

By Chelsea Kopta

Summary

Roughly three-out-of-four kids in Pasco Schools get a discounted or free lunch. During the summer, they might go without if not for more free offers. Action News found there are more kids looking for help this year.

Story Published: Jun 30, 2009 at 5:46 PM PST

PASCO - Nothing says summer lunch like a corndog.

"Corndogs...yeah," student Mark Mercardo said.

It's a hot lunch in a cold economy, a meal that students like Mark Mercado said he's lucky to have. He's a graduating senior at Pasco High who's on the free and reduced lunch plan. A plan, his cousin goes without.

"In Kennewick, they give him a little piece of paper that says he has to bring his own lunch," he said.

At the school cafeteria, or at the park, anyone under 18 can eat a free lunch.
but on the heels of a hellish economy that's forcing more families to feel the crunch, more people are lining up.

"Do you think some kids would go hungry if they didn't get this lunch?" Action News asked.
"Yeah, certainly. Some are more fortunate than others," Mercado said.

The nutrition staff at Memorial Park in Pasco serve about 1500 kids a week, and those numbers are important because if they don't crunch the right numbers, some kids could end up with an empty tray. And it's already happened twice since last week week.

Summer lunch programs are set up on the basis to serve a population where more than half depend on free or reduced lunch. In the Pasco School District that number sits at around 70 percent, and has for the last five years.

Free & Reduced Lunches Statistics at Pasco School District (latest number reported by OSPI):

May 2008 -- 69.0 %
May 2007 -- 69.2%
May 2006 -- 66.7%
May 2005 -- 70.7%
Oct .2003 -- 65.0%

Maria Ratuiste works for nutritional services. She said the group prepares the summer's meals based on last year's numbers. This year, they were short.

"Do you feel like more people are eating this year?" Action News asked Mercado.
"Yeah, for sure."

For now, a summer favorite food, the corndog, will stay a token toward filling the gap for a community in need.

TO GET A FREE LUNCH:

you can call Nutrition Services, 546-2836.

OR GO TO THE LUNCH SITES:

Emerson Elementary: 1616 W. Octave Ave.
June 18-July 23 M-TH Breakfast 7:30-8:15 AM Lunch 11:00-11:30 AM

Stevens Middle School: 1120 N. 22nd Ave.
June 22-July 16 M-TH Lunch 12:00-12:30 PM

Pasco High School: 1108 N. 10th Ave.
June 29-July 24 M-F Breakfast 7:30-8:00 AM Lunch 11:00-11:30 AM

Ochoa Middle School: 1801 E. Sheppard St.
June 22-July 16 M-TH Lunch 12:00-12:30 PM

NEW HORIZON HIGH SCHOOL: 3110 W. Argent
June 22-July 17 M-F Lunch 11:00-11:30 AM

MEMORIAL PARK: Hopkins and 14th Ave.
June 22-July 24 M-F Lunch 11:30 -12:30 PM

KURTZMAN PARK: 205 S. Wehe Ave.
June 22-July 24 M-F Lunch 11:15 -12:15 PM

VIRGIE ROBINSON: 125 S. Wehe Ave.
August 10-21 M-F Breakfast 8:15-8:45 AM