Gordon County and Calhoun City Schools have started offering children breakfast and lunch during the summer months to combat hunger in children.

Gordon County Summer Feeding Program

Gordon County Schools are kicking off its first summer of offering free breakfast and lunch to all students up to 18 years of age.

“Beginning June 4 through July 27, free meals will be served at five locations in Gordon County by the Gordon County School Nutrition Department. Sites will be located at Fairmount Tate Park on the Square, Sonoraville High School bus drop-off, Tolbert Elementary School bus drop-off, Plainville Recreation Center and Gordon Central High School main entrance. Serving time for breakfast will be 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. and lunch will be served from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Service will not be held July 2 though July 6, according to a press release from the Gordon County Schools Nutrition Department.

Due to increase in demand, three more locations have been added and include lunch at Plantation Place from 11:45 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.; lunch at Oakman First Baptist Church from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.; and Pleasant Hill Baptist Church.

Currently, the turnout has been significant, according to Gordon Central High School Assistant Manager of School Nutrition, Cheryl Mathews, who says the staff has really enjoyed the program so far and believes it will continue to be a big success.

“Seamless Summer Feeding Program is free to all students, and Gordon County Schools Nutrition Department and Gordon County Schools are pleased to offer this service to the community,” said Gordon County Schools Superintendent, Dr. Bill McCown.

For questions or more information about the Gordon County Schools Seamless Summer Feeding program contact the program manager: 706-879-5191 or 706-879-5137.

Calhoun City Summer Feeding Program

According to a press release from Calhoun City schools Nutrition Director, Kim Kiker, the Calhoun City Schools System has partnered with the USDA to provide food for children during the summer, dishing out food to kids based on the school systems percentage of food already enrolled in the reduced lunch program, during the year.

Children do not have to be qualified for the free or reduced lunch to participate in the summer feeding program, according to Kiker, and is an attempt to ebb the tide of “the nationwide epidemic of hungry children,” she said.

Sixty-one percent of Calhoun City Schools’ students register for free and reduced lunch during the school months, said Kiker, who also said meals are planned in compliance with the USDA’s meal guidelines.

Breakfast will be served 8 a.m. until 9 a.m. and lunch will be served 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., May 29 until August, 10, with no breakfast or lunch being offered July 2 to July 6, according to a press release from the USDA, at locations chosen throughout the City of Calhoun.

“All children can receive breakfast and lunch at one of the following sites: Calhoun Primary/Elementary Schools, Imagination Station, Calhoun Recreation Department, Tallatoona Gordon County HRDC/Newtown Road Office, Oak Grove Baptist Church, South Calhoun Baptist Church, Latinos for Education and Justice, Mt. Zion Baptist Church/Resaca, Forrest Heights Apartments, Carriage Apartments, Calhoun Boys & Girls Club, Echota Baptist Church, First Methodist Church, and other sites may be added to the list,” according to a press release from the USDA.

“The Summer Feeding Program is a great service for the children of our community. We are fortunate to have this opportunity. I commend School Nutrition Director Kim Kiker and her staff for coordinating the program. Their hard work and support insures that our students receive nutritious meals throughout the summer months,” said Calhoun City Schools Superintendent Dr. Michele Taylor.

For more information, contact (706) 602-6713 or (706) 602-6613.