Kids’ meal program to serve lunch, dinner

Families with school-aged children may find a little vacation from their tight grocery budgets this summer, thanks to free lunch and dinners served by volunteers of the Bonney Lake and Bread of Life food banks.

Now in its third year, the Summer Feeding Program provides nutritious brown-bag lunches at several parks in Bonney Lake and Prairie Ridge, along with the Buckley Youth Acitivity Center. They will also provide dinners at Allan Yorke Park in Bonney Lake, said Stew Bowen, director for the food banks.

The 10-week program is sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture and administered by the Office of the Superintendant of Public Instruction. It runs Mondays through Fridays through Sept. 4. The only USDA requirement is that children must not have yet finished school. No applications, identification or proof of income will be requested.

The program, which rapidly gained popularity last summer, served nearly 5,000 meals in 2008; of those, 2,777 were lunches, 2,128 were dinners and 80 were breakfasts – the latter is not offered this year, Bowen said. The site serving the most lunches was Cedarview Park in Bonney Lake, where the numbers doubled, due in part to the city’s weekly Kids Club events on location.

The economy will more than likely affect the participation this year.

“We expect to see about a 40-percent increase over last year,” he said.

Because of the program’s success and the anticipated need for more meals, Bowen said he seeking volunteers. Groups from all parts of the communities are welcome – from teams of co-workers, sports organizations and churches; neighborhood associations, seniors and teens; to service and scouting organizations and students who may need to perform community service toward their senior culminating projects.

“We need good people to help serve,” he said. “Basically, anyone who is 16 or older and has adult supervision is welcome to volunteer.”

To volunteer, call Bowen at 253-208-6779 or e-mail blfoodbank@questoffice.net.