ARLEE — For some kids, the only meal they might get in a day is through school. However, what happens when school is out and that meal goes away?
Well, in Arlee that meal is not going anywhere. They have a free breakfast and lunch program happening all summer long.
“We work through the school year also and you do see kids that don't eat on the weekends,” said Arlee School District Food Service Director Trisha Jo Topp.
Noticing the needs of kids in the community, Arlee Schools staff have been running a summer meals program with support from the Montana Food Bank Network.
“They’re our kids. They're our community. They’re who's gonna grow up and take care of what we leave them and we need to feed them," Topp explained.
Kids under 18 can eat breakfast and lunch for free at the Arlee cafeteria until the end of July.
Topp shared that she has been trying to get the word out as much as possible.
"I was walking down Powwow Road the other day and you know [saying] come eat, come eat." She added, “I mean, some kids just don't realize. They're like, 'oh, we can walk there and eat'."
Anyone over 18 can pay just a few dollars for the meals. Breakfast costs $3 while lunch is $5.25. There is no sign-up or income verification required.
“They are cared for here and we don't want them to be hungry,” Topp stated.
There are additional sites giving out free meals all across Montana. Click here to find the one closest to you.
