Summer lunch program in Greenwood gets off to slow start
GREENWOOD, Ind (WISH) – Summer is now in full swing, but the kitchen at many local schools is not. Many are reporting low turnout for summer lunch programs.
In Greenwood, they’re cooking nearly twice as much food as they serve.
Even on summer break, there’s something cooking in the kitchen at Isom Elementary School in Greenwood.
“I’m a big eater. I had some carrots, and I had a full orange and I had one of each raisens,”said fourth-grader Nolan Pettingill.
He and his Grandma Libby stopped in Thursday afternoon for pepperoni calzones.
“Nolan said it was awesome and that I should try it today. So, I went over and got me one. It’s pretty good,” Libby Pettingill said.
Isom Elementary is the one school in the Greenwood Schools district that offers summer lunch. The program was designed for those on free or reduced-cost lunches. But, in Greenwood, it’s open to everyone; kids eat free and adults pay $3.
“Nolan is not on the reduced lunch during the year. But, it helps me because I’m a grandmother and trying to cook and clean and take care of the little ones. It’s less stress on me,” Grandma Libby said.
Aside from kids from summer camp filling the tables, fewer people are coming in, according to Greenwood Middle School Cafeteria Manager Lesli Hicks.
“The walk-ins have not been that great. They’re pretty low. Hoping to get more to come in,” Hicks said.
Each day, they prepare enough to feed more than 100 but serve less than half of that and that includes the summer camp group.
“I don’t know if it’s just people don’t think about it, people don’t remember it. Some of my friends who have said, ‘Oh, I’m not low-income,’ and it’s not just for the low-income. Anybody can come,” Hicks said.
As long as anybody can come, Grandma Libby will gladly bring Nolan so he can continue to stuff his face.
“We love school lunches,” Nolan said.
Greenwood said it freezes any leftovers and serves it again in two weeks. Anything not eaten by then will be trashed.
Click here to find out if there is a summer lunch program site in your neighborhood.