Lunch ladies don't necessarily stop working when children get out of school for the summer. In fact, by the end of summer this year, the Summer Food Service Program in Utah, with help from local school districts, will have served more than 1 million meals to low-income and otherwise underprivileged school-age children.

"When school lets out, Utah's children lose access to the school breakfasts, lunches and after-school snacks they receive during the regular school year," said Dan Belnap of Utahns Against Hunger. "The Summer Food Program fills this gap and provides free meals and snacks to children who might otherwise go hungry."

Utahns Against Hunger spearheads the program in Utah, which feeds more than 40,000 youths in Utah. The nonprofit corporation is always seeking opportunities to open new feeding sites. In communities where 50 percent or more of the children in the area qualify for reduced-price or free lunch during the school year, sites are open to all students during the summer. Government and nonprofit organizations often sponsor the site, allowing children to come in at lunchtime on weekdays during the summer.

There are more than 150 summer food sites in Utah.

The Summer Food Service Program is funded by the federal government and implemented by local school districts and community organi- zations.

"Because of the hard work of advocates and school district personnel, children in Utah have better access to summer food than children nationally," Belnap said.

Nationally, Utah ranks 7th in program participation for summer lunch distribution in a state-by-state analysis conducted by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) in Washington, D.C.

According to the report, one in three of the 122,798 students in Utah school districts who receive free or reduced-price school lunches during the school year is served by federal nutrition programs during the summer. Nationally, only one in five children receiving free or reduced-price lunch participates.

Belnap believes that accessibility to the program and the density of the sites in Utah makes it easier for people to get involved.

FRAC concludes that better nutrition improves learning and test scores as well as general health and helps to prevent childhood obesity.

Belnap said the lunches always contain nutritious foods and are relatively the same meals students receive at school. He said the program has to meet nutritional guidelines to qualify for federal reimbursement, which provides a maximum of $1.38 per breakfast served, $2.41 for lunch and 56 cents for snacks. Sponsors of the sites also receive federal funds for administrative costs.

"The parents, children and teachers all think this program is excellent," Belnap said. "And the school districts love it because it allows them to employ their food service workers throughout the summer."

The program usually runs from the middle of June through Aug. 20, based on the location and the school districts involved. Information can be obtained by calling Utahns Against Hunger at 1-800-453-3663.

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E-mail: wleonard@desnews.com