ROANOKE, Va. – Feeding Southwest Virginia announced an expansion of its summer meals program, adding new locations across Roanoke City, Roanoke County and Salem to help combat childhood hunger during school breaks.
The nonprofit organization expects to serve more than 250,000 meals to approximately 5,000 children this summer, marking a significant increase from last year’s 222,000 meals provided to over 4,000 kids.
Children 18 and under can receive two free meals daily Monday through Friday, starting June 10. The program operates on a first-come, first-served basis with no application required.
New service locations include:
- Gainsboro Library
- Eureka Park Recreational Center
- Roanoke Higher Education Center
“It’s a saddening feeling to know that people aren’t being able to get their food, and like I said, we try every day to make sure that the food goes out, that they get all their nutrition and things of that nature. I wish there were a way we could help them financially, but of course, we have to do it through food,” said Meal Production Coordinator Michael McGeorge at Feeding Southwest Virginia.
The initiative operates as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Summer Food Service Program (SUN Meals). Multiple organizations across Southwest Virginia participate in the program, including many school divisions in our area:
- Montgomery County Schools
- Will participate in the Summer Food Service Program from June 2 to June 26
- Meals will be served Monday through Thursday at:
- Belview Elementary School
- Christiansburg Primary School
- Christiansburg Elementary School
- Eastern Montgomery Elementary School
- Falling Branch Elementary School
- Prices Fork Elementary School
- Shawsville Middle School
- Breakfast will be served from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.; Lunch will be served from 12:45 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.
- Montgomery Central will participate in the program from June 2 to June 18
- Breakfast: 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.
- Lunch: 12:15 p.m. to 12:45 p.m.
“Kids obviously have to have food nutrition to learn to grow, but even in the summer. When school is out, that need becomes even more critical because of the meals they get in school; they don’t have that in the summers,” said Director of Corporate Relations David Dantzler at Feeding Southwest Virginia.
Qualifying families can receive additional support through the SUN Bucks program, which provides $120 for grocery purchases during summer months. The program automatically enrolls families who participate in:
- SNAP benefits
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
- National School Lunch or School Breakfast Program
SUN Bucks functions like a debit card, with funds distributed on a rolling basis beginning in July.