Southern Colorado schools offer free meals to combat food insecurity

(SOUTHERN COLORADO) — Food insecurity is a growing issue in Southern Colorado, and the community is coming together to make sure children are fed throughout the summer. School districts across Southern Colorado are offering free meals this summer for anyone younger than 18, no questions asked.

“Even if you look at even a carton of eggs these days in the grocery store, everything’s so much more expensive than it was pre-COVID,” said John Roach, the Widefield Nutrition Manager.

School is officially out for summer, but now many parents are concerned about feeding their families. Care and Share Food Bank of Southern Colorado said the state and federal government are putting less money into programs to help feed families.

“It’s an increase of about 25,000, unduplicated people from last year,” said CEO Nate Springer with Care and Share Food Bank of Southern Colorado.

Despite the increase in food scarcity, there are several school districts across the Pikes Peak Region trying to help.

“We are still here throughout the summer to offer you guys free meals, because a lot of our families do rely on breakfast and lunch for their students,” said Carolyn Stephen, the Communication Specialist with Widefield School District 3.

District 3’s program began on Tuesday morning, May 28, and fed more than 150 kids, and district leaders expect more to come.

“If you are looking for a meal, if you are struggling, please visit our website . You can also view the menus online; we want to let families know there are different alternatives and [food] options at Widefield,” said Stephens.

The program is offering a free breakfast and lunch each day to make sure no kid goes hungry while they are away for summer break. On Tuesday, kids were fed corndogs, fruits, and veggies,
with six different nutritionists there to help.

“We make sure that everything is in certain guidelines to make sure that we are feeding whole grains, fresh fruits, and things that are super healthy that go out to the students,” said Roach.

They say this is a city-wide effort, with more schools participating and multiple meal sites available. Meanwhile, Care and Share Food Bank of Southern Colorado is preparing for a tough summer.

“We’re really going have to be creative because we’re going to have just as many people as we ever have and probably more [people] with less resources,” added Springer.

The meals are served each weekday at Pinello Elementary School, Widefield Parks and Recreation, and Sunrise Elementary School. Breakfast is served at 8:30 a.m. and lunch at noon. Kids do not have to be enrolled in the district to participate and no student ID is required.

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