MISSOULA – Once again all kids 18 and under will be provided a free breakfast and lunch thanks to Missoula County Public Schools and the Missoula Food Bank.
For 15 years the Summer Food Service Program has been a part of the Community in Missoula. Starting Monday, June 11, Chief Charlo Elementary, Franklin Elementary, Lowell Elementary and the Old Missoula College south building will feed kids and young adults in the community.
“During the summer there is no need for paperwork, there is nothing that needs to be shown or anything like that. It’s free breakfast and lunch for all kids 18 and under. They don’t even need to be enrolled in MCPS.”
All locations serve breakfast from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The program is sponsored by the USDA.
Rossmiller says she has seen the need grow over the years.
“We saw a huge increase when the mill shut down and, you know, the lumber mills and we started to see a large increase and unfortunately Missoula tends to be a very high-need group of people.”
The Missoula Food Bank is also offering free lunches to those 18 and under in the community at several locations, and this year, they’ve added a new service. Starting on Monday, a Mobile Food Truck will offer lunch at two locations…next to Russell School by Playfair Park and at Travois Village off of Russell Street.
“The bus just allows us to get in more neighborhoods. We kind of targeted where we thought maybe there will be some high need.”
The bus will drive through neighborhoods, playing music by the Whiz Pops before reaching their destination making students aware that they are close by and ready to serve.
With these opportunities, the goal is to make sure every kid has enough to eat this summer.
Rossmiller says the Old Missoula College food service location will also show a movie everyday during the 11-1 lunch period.
