By Cheril Lee
Omaha, NE – A new report from the Food Research and Action Center indicates participation in the state's summer meals programs have dropped over the last two years.
Kate Bolz, an Associate Director at Nebraska Appleseed, says the state ranks among the bottom five in the nation for summer meal provisions to kids. She says nationwide, 15 out of 100 low-income children who get free or reduced price meals during the school year received summer meals last year. Nebraska reached only 7 out of 100 children. Bolz says Nebraska Appleseed has two approaches to addressing this problem, "More immediately we're working with organizations like Hunger Free Heartland, faith-based organizations and non-profit organizations across the state to try to spread awareness about the availability of the summer food service programs. The other side is a little bit more long-term, which is some legislative action and investments need to be made, in particular capacity building and start up grants for sites who want to serve summer meals to kids."
For more information on Nebraska's Summer Nutrition Programs, the phone number is 1-800-731-2233.