W.Va. Looking For Partners To Help Feed Kids During Summer

The state of West Virginia is looking to partner with local government agencies, nonprofits and other organizations to help run a program to feed kids over the summer.

Through the Department of Education’s “Summer Food Service Program,” children who usually receive meals at school through the School Breakfast Program or National School Lunch Program can access food at sites like schools, churches, community centers, pools, parks, libraries, housing complexes and summer camps.

Summer months can pose a challenge for families in need of food while school isn’t in session, state Superintendent of Schools W. Clayton Burch said in a news release.

“Supporting these sites in your community is one of the most important things you can do to ensure all children have uninterrupted access to nutritious meals this summer,” he said.

An average of 202,273 children in West Virginia — about 78 percent of schoolchildren — depend on free and reduced-price meals at school, according to the state Department of Education.

Organizations interested in becoming a 2022 summer sponsor can contact Cybele Boehm or Samantha Reeves with the Department of Education’s Office of Child Nutrition. They can be reached at cboehm@k12.wv.us or snsnuffer@k12.wv.us or (833) 627-2833. Summer sites will be announced in June.