Holt Summer Food Program returns Wednesday
LANSING, Mich. (WILX) – Classes may be out for summer, but Holt Public Schools is making sure kids get the healthy foods they need.
The mobile summer feeding program is traveling to parks across Holt to make sure kids get meals. To reach everyone in the area, the meals will be served off of a bus! Starting Wednesday the Meet Up and Eat Up campaign begins. Valhalla Park is one of three stops the bus will make. It’s the second year in a row that Holt is doing this, and they hope the turnout is at least as good as last year.
Holt is even hoping to expand on that number, trying to reach more students during the summertime.
Evan Robertson is the Food Services Director for Holt Schools.
“We found that most people aren’t willing to make a trek somewhere,” Robertson said. “So we thought, ‘Okay, then we’ll come to you.’”
A big retired blue school bus will bring the food to three stops; Kensington Meadows, Windmill Mobile Home Park, and Delhi Township Valhalla Park.
Anyone under age 18 can come and get free breakfast and lunch on Wednesdays. Students with disabilities through age 26 also qualify if they’re enrolled in a public school, and it’s all free.
Robertson said, “The program is not limited by where you live, what your address is, what your zip code is, whether or not you’re on free or reduced lunches. it’s truly open to everybody.”
You don’t have to be a student at Holt, either. Coming out of the pandemic, their focus is to get anyone and everyone food.
Robertson said, “We have tried to make this experience as quick and safe as possible for our families. Ensuring that if somebody does drive up or walk up, the interaction is quick so that people can go back home.”
The program is funded by the Michigan Department of Education and the US Department of Agriculture as part of the National School Lunch program. Holt Schools told News 10 it’s a way for them to give back to its students, especially after a tough pandemic year.
“It truly is the community members helping the community out,” Robertson said. “It’s a way to say thank you for your continued support to us and to the school district.”
News 10 visited all three parks Tuesday and spoke with some of the parents there. They said they love this idea — especially some who don’t have students at Holt.
The food bus will stop at the parks every Wednesday through July 28. Meals will be served from about 11:00 a.m. to 1:05 p.m.
- Kensington Meadows || 11:00 a.m. – 11:35 a.m.
- Windmill Mobile Home Park || 11:45 a.m. – 12:20 p.m.
- Delhi Township Valhalla Park || 12:30 p.m. – 1:05 p.m.
A site for locating meal programs can be found HERE.
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