In Greenland, Arkansas, the school district has initiated a summer meal program to support families during the school break. The program, which began this week, will continue through July, offering free breakfast and lunch to students. Heather Cheevers, director of support services for the Greenland School District, emphasized the importance of removing barriers to ensure all students have access to nutritious meals, regardless of income. ‘It’s always very important to us here at Greenland School District that we provide our students with what they need, whether the school year is going on or throughout the summer,’ Cheevers stated.

Families participating in the program receive a variety of food items each week, including a gallon of milk, canned vegetables, frozen items like waffles and pizza, as well as snacks and fresh fruit. The response has been strong, with nearly 500 families signing up on the first day of distribution.

Fort Smith Expands Meal Access

Similarly, the Fort Smith School District is offering summer meals to anyone under 18 years old at 11 sites throughout the district. Grace George, director of child nutrition for Fort Smith Public Schools, shared that the district has already served over 3,000 meals in the first three days. The program provides breakfast from 8 to 9 a.m. and lunch from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

George highlighted the challenge of balancing students’ preferences with nutritional needs, aiming to make healthier versions of popular meal choices. ‘We want to make sure that students stay as healthy as possible, and that they feel secure,’ she explained. In addition to meals for children, Fort Smith Public Schools offers meals for adults at a nominal cost.

Original reporting: 5NEWS / KFSM (Fort Smith) — read the source article.