Local officials hope recent efforts to promote summer meal programs will result in fewer children going hungry during the next few months.

Starting Monday, children can get free breakfast or lunch at 28 sites around Waco. Free meals also will be available in a few other areas in the county.

The food is offered through an extension of school-based programs that feed children during the academic year using federal funds.

Esther Morales (rear), of the McLennan County Hunger Coalition talks with Avnisha Fields, 9, about summer lunch programs.
Duane A. Laverty/Tribune-Herald

Sixty-one percent of McLennan County students were eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals during the past school year, according to state data. All of them qualify for free summer food.

Unfortunately, only a fraction of eligible children typically participate in the summer program, officials said. Some families aren’t aware free meals continue in the summer.

Also, many children don’t have a way to get to a meal site, they said.

Several local groups are trying to tackle those challenges. Late last month, volunteers from the McLennan County Hunger Coalition and other groups went door-to-door in neighborhoods in East, South and North Waco, coalition member Esther Morales said.

The volunteers left information for each household with the location of the meal site closest to them, Morales said.

They also put up posters in places like laundromats and convenience stores, she said.

That campaign will continue in a few weeks, with postcards being sent to eligible families shortly before summer school ends, said Alexis Weaver, who is involved in efforts on behalf of the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce.

Many sites close once summer school ends, so families need to know which sites will stay open.

Officials are hoping that might help stop the pattern of participation dropping off after summer school ends, she said.

Awareness efforts

Cliff Reece, director of child nutrition services for the Waco Independent School District, said he is encouraged by the outreach efforts. More energy has been focused on the program this year than ever before, he said.

“I’m hoping it has a tremendous effect,” Reece said.

During most years, only 20 percent of Waco children who get free or reduced-priced meals during the academic year take part in the summer program, Reece said.

And that represents peak participation. Once summer school ends, participation dips to about 10 percent, he said.

At the county level, the numbers are even lower.

In 2008, 28,700 children got free or reduced-priced meals during the school year, Weaver said. But only 6 percent received meals that summer, she said.

Statewide, about 15 percent of the 2.1 million children who receive free or reduced-priced meals during the academic year get them during the summer, according to the Texas Department of Agriculture.

Texas leads the nation in the number of children who don’t know where their next meal will come from.

Transportation issue

To significantly increase participation here, the community must address the transportation issue, Reece said.

Advocates have started asking churches for help, and several have indicated they will try to use their vans to take neighborhood children to meal sites, he said.

The Rev. Valda Jean Combs, pastor of Wesley United Methodist Church in East Waco, said several congregations are offering assistance to help her church serve as a meal site. That includes one congregation providing drivers for the Wesley van.

They will focus on giving rides to children in the Estella Maxey public housing complex, as well as those who live within a mile of the church, she said.

The church plans to offer recreational and devotional activities between breakfast and lunch to increase the odds of children receiving both meals, Combs said.

A Wednesday night program at the church, which includes a meal, has shown her that hunger is a local problem, she said.

“They eat as if there is no tomorrow,” Combs said of children who attend. “They are not accustomed to seeing food in abundance.”

Increasing church involvement is a statewide strategy, as well.

Jeremy Everett, director of the Texas Hunger Initiative, said it is trying to get more churches to serve as food sites or use their vans to help transport children.

Because churches know children in their neighborhoods and want to alleviate hunger, such partnerships make sense, he said.

The initiative, housed at Baylor University, also is working to start food-planning associations around the state, Everett said. The goal is to get organizations that work on hunger-related issues to better coordinate efforts, he said.

Unclaimed funds

Each year, Texas receives about $10 billion in federal money for hunger programs, Everett said. But the state leaves about $5 billion on the table because organizations and individuals aren’t fully taking advantage of those programs, he said.

In McLennan County, nearly $50 million in food stamp benefits go unclaimed each year, Everett said.

“It’s a winnable situation for the community,” Everett said. “The resources and programs are available.”

The Food Planning Association of McLennan County is set to launch in October, Weaver said.

cculp@wacotrib.com

757-5744

Find a participating site near you

To participate in the summer food program, all children have to do is show up at any site. They won’t have to provide proof of age, although meals are intended for children up to age 18.

Youth also won’t have to present proof of income, immigration status or county residence.

School sites

All school sites are offering both lunch and breakfast. Service hours and dates vary. Call each site for details.

M-T indicates meals are served Monday through Thursday. M-F indicates meals are served Monday through Friday.

*  Alta Vista Montessori, 3637 Alta Vista Dr. (662-3050), M-F in June, then M-T through July 9

*  Bell’s Hill Elementary, 2125 Cleveland Ave. (754-4171), M-F through Aug. 20

*  Brook Avenue Elementary, 720 Brook Ave. (750-3562), M-T through July 15

*  Cedar Ridge Elementary, 2115 Meridian Ave. (756-1241), M-T through July 15

*  Crestview Elementary, 1120 New Road (776-1704), M-T through July 15

*  Hillcrest PDS Elementary, 4225 Pine Ave. (772-4286), M-F in June, then M-T through July 9

*  Kendrick Elementary, 1801 Kendrick Lane (752-3316), M-T through July 15

*  Lake Waco Elementary, 3005 Edna Ave. (752-5951), M-F in June, then M-T through July 9

*  Provident Heights Elementary, 2415 Bosque Blvd. (750-3930), M-F through Aug. 20

*  South Waco Elementary, 2104 Gurley Lane (753-6802), M-F through Aug. 20

*  Sul Ross Elementary, 901 S. 7th St. (753-3541), M-T through July 15

*  West Avenue Elementary, 1101 N. 15th St. (750-3900), M-T through July 15

*  Brazos Middle School, 2415 Cumberland Ave. (754-5491), M-T through July 15

*  Cesar Chavez Middle School, 700 S. 15th St. (750-3736), M-T through July 9

*  Lake Air Middle School, 4601 Cobbs Dr. (772-1910), M-T through July 15

*  University Middle School, 1820 Irving St. (753-1533), M-T through July 15

*  University High School, 2600 Bagby Ave. (756-1843), M-T through July 9

Non-school sites

All nonschool sites are offering both breakfast and lunch, except where indicated. Meals will be served at these sites every weekday through Aug. 20.

Serving hours vary, so call each site for details.

*  Bledsoe Miller Recreation Center, 300 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. (750-8684)

*  Brownfield Boys & Girls Club, 2700 N. 21st St. (752-6443)

*  Dewey Recreation Center, 925 N. 9th St. (750-8677)

*  Doris Miller Family YMCA, 1020 Elm Ave. (752-1605)

*  EOAC Head Start, 510 S. 12th St. (754-5641)

*  First Baptist Church of Waco, 500 Webster Ave. (752-3000)

*  First Spanish Assembly of God, 3301 Clay Ave. (752-2293), no breakfast

*  South Terrace Youth Center, 2615 S. 12th St. (753-0891), no breakfast

*  Waco Family YMCA, 6800 Harvey Drive (776-6612)

*  Wesley United Methodist Church, 125 Turner St. (752-1822)

*  Youngblood Boys & Girls Club, 2020 Richter Ave. (754-2451)

Non-Waco sites

The Connally, La Vega, Mart and McGregor school districts are also offering summer meals. Go to www.summerfood.org to find a site. People can also dial 2-1-1 to get information about summer food sites anywhere in the state.