Free lunches feed hungry kids

Published 8:13 pm Sunday, July 5, 2009

MONROE — More than 100 children file into the cafeteria at Frank Wagner Elementary School. They go through the lunch line, emerging with a chicken fajita, refried beans, red Jell-O, orange wedges and cartons of low-fat milk. They spread out over 16 lunch tables and dig in.

If it weren’t for parents helping their kids cut food, and toddlers eating beside middle schoolers, it would look like a normal day at school.

It’s not. It’s the end of June, and these kids are eating free meals provided by the federal government.

At nearly 20 locations throughout Snohomish County, kids 18 and younger can get free lunch. Their families don’t have to apply or meet any income restrictions. Everyone is welcome.

“Kids are hungry,” said Russ Knott, director of Monroe’s child nutrition program. “Just because the summer starts doesn’t mean their hunger goes away. … This allows them to get a nice, warm meal at least once a day.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides most of the money for the lunches, and the state education department helps coordinate the meals.

In order to qualify, the meals must be served in areas where at least half of the children qualify for free or reduced-price meals at school.

Last summer, an average of 37,636 children ate free meals each day at 665 sites throughout Washington.

The Everett School District served around 1,000 meals a day last summer. The district feeds kids from Lynnwood to Marysville and is the largest provider of free meals in Snohomish County.

“There’s a need,” said Nancy Thomson, the district’s food service supervisor. “These kids are used to having a lunch at school during the year. During the summer, their situation doesn’t change.”

The Everett School District has been dishing up free summer meals for nearly 15 years.

In Monroe, the program has been in existence for five years. Last summer, the district served 4,000 free meals, Knott said.

Last week, Leticia Espinoza took her five children to Frank Wagner Elementary for lunch. She lives in Sultan, but was in Monroe for church classes. Gas prices sometimes prevent her from making the drive, but the free meals help make the trip worth it, she said.

“You save money,” she said, holding her 8-month old baby. “They want to go to McDonald’s and I say, ‘I have five kids with me. I don’t have money.’ It’s good.”

Karina Barrera came to the lunch with her 12-year-old sister and their mom. The 10-year-old Monroe girl said she enjoys the meals.

“They have good food,” she said, in between bites of chicken fajita. “It has good flavor.”

Kaitlin Manry: 425-339-3292, kmanry@heraldnet.com.

Where to get free lunches

Free lunch is available for kids 18 and younger on weekdays this summer at nearly 20 places in Snohomish County.