Summer feeding programs launch across Oklahoma
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla — Many summer feeding programs have officially kicked off ensuring no child goes hungry.
"When they're used to having access to that food during the school year, it becomes critically important that they have that same access during the summer," said Stacy Dykstra, CEO, the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma.
About 6 out of ten Oklahoma children depend on the free and reduced lunch program for nutritious food during the school year.
"When summer hits, we need to make sure those children still get the nutrition they need to continue growing and to stay healthy so they can thrive all year round," said Dykstra.
That's why the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma is offering free meals and snacks through August 8.
They have over 100 locations offering food for children 18 and under.
"So folks come in, children sit down and eat meals with us," said Dykstra.
Some locations also have a grab and go option, where children get a box of food for up to ten days.
Last year, the program served about 500 thousand meals during the summer.
"We are trying to do more and more and more, so it is a big summer for us," said Dykstra.
You can find a map of the locations here.
Yukon Public Schools also started its summer meals program, serving free breakfast and lunch at three schools across town.
"You don't have to be a kid in the district, we're feeding everyone," said Jacqueline Wright, child nutrition director, Yukon Public Schools.
It is for children 18 and younger and will run through July 25 (closed July 4).
- Yukon High School, 1777 S. Yukon Parkway
- Breakfast: 7:30am-9:00am
- Lunch: 11:00am-12:30pm
- Skyview Elementary, 650 S. Yukon Parkway
- Breakfast: 7:30am-9:00am
- Lunch: 11:00am-12:30pm
- Redstone Intermediate, 11501 W Britton Rd
- Breakfast: 7:30am-9:00am
- Lunch: 11:00am-12:30pm
Oklahoma Public Schools is also offering a summer meals program through June 27 (closed June 19).
The OKCPS food truck will also be out serving meals at different locations throughout the month.
Elementary Meal Service Sites:
- Coolidge Elementary, 5212 S Villa Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73119
- Breakfast: 7:45am-8:30am
- Lunch: 11:00am-12:30pm
- Eugene Field Elementary, 1515 N Klein Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73106
- Breakfast: 8:00am-8:30am
- Lunch: 10:40am-12:40pm
- Fillmore Elementary, 5200 S Blackwelder Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73119
- Breakfast: 7:45am-8:15am
- Lunch: 11:00am-12:30pm
- Hayes Elementary, 6900 S Byers Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73149
- Breakfast: 7:45am-8:15am
- Lunch: 10:30am-12:00pm
- Kaiser Elementary, 3101 Lyon Blvd, Oklahoma City, OK 73112
- Breakfast: 7:40am-8:15am
- Lunch: 10:45am-12:00pm
- Nichols Hills Elementary, 1301 W Wilshire Blvd, Oklahoma City, OK 73116
- Breakfast: 7:45am-8:15am
- Lunch: 10:00am-12:30pm
- Spencer Elementary, 8900 NE 50th St, Spencer, OK 73084
- Breakfast: 7:45am-8:30am
- Lunch: 10:45am-11:30pm
Middle and High School Meal Service Sites:
- Douglas High School, 900 N Martin Luther King Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73117
- Breakfast: 8:30am-9:00am
- Lunch: 11:45am-12:15pm
- Rogers Middle School, 4000 Spencer Rd, Spencer, OK 73084
- Breakfast: 8:30 am-9:00 am
- Lunch: 11:45am-12:15pm
- US Grant High School, 5016 S Pennsylvania Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73119
- Breakfast: 8:30am-9:00am
- Lunch: 11:45am-12:15pm
Food truck and bus meal schedule:
- Alpha Community Foundation at Garden Oaks Community Center, 3401 NE 16th St, Oklahoma City, OK 73117
- June 2nd - June 27th; Monday - Friday
- Breakfast: 9:00am-9:45am
- Lunch: 11:00am-12:00pm
- Hope Community Center, 8125 S Walker Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73139
- June 2nd - June 25th; Monday - Wednesday
- Only Lunch: 11:00am-12:00pm
- Latino Community Development Agency, 420 SW 10th St, Oklahoma City, OK 73109
- June 2nd - June 27th; Monday - Friday
- Breakfast: 9:00am-9:45am
- Lunch: 11:00am-12:00pm
- OKC Riversport, 800 Riversport Dr, Oklahoma City, OK 73129
- June 2nd - June 27th; Monday - Friday
- Breakfast: 8:30am-9:00am
- Lunch: 11:45am-12:15pm
With all of these programs, one thing is the same, all of the meals are full of nutriton.
"There's only so many times a kid can eat a Pop-Tart for breakfast or, you know, maybe just eat a frozen pizza for lunch," said Wright.
Several Oklahoma tribes are also launching summer feeding programs, like the Summer EBT program.