Piedmont Schools Provide More Than Education

900,000 North Carolina children don't get enough to eat. So state school systems are filling the gap.School may be out, but schools systems are still helping many of their students. Many are operating federally funded summer feeding programs that offer free breakfast and lunch. “Parents are struggling and in the summer, they're budgets are stretched to the max,” says Jim Faggione. He is Director of School Nutrition Services for Guilford County School. The school system is serving meals Monday to Thursday until August 8. The average breakfast costs $1.80 per meal and lunch costs $2.94 per meal. This summer, Guilford County Schools expanded its feeding program to 16 schools between Greensboro and High Point. “It's open to all school-age children," says Faggione. "If cousins or friends are visiting, they are welcome to come and eat with us at one of our sites.” Faggione's goal is to feed 2,500 children this summer. At the 16 locations, children will get a combination of hot and cold meals. Breakfast is served from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and lunch is from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The Guilford County School System is also partnering with 65 community groups and sending boxed lunches to the children those groups are hosting.

Cindy Marion is the director of Child Nutrition for Stokes County Schools. She says partnerships are essential to creating successful feeding programs in rural communities. “Most of those folks are struggling with purchasing gas," explains Marion. "So if they (the children) can't walk to the site or if we can't take it (the food) to them then there is no reason for me to set up a feeding site. So look for parks programs or camps where they say they need to feed children." Lunch will be served Monday to Friday at London Elementary School from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Marion says children are required to eat on site in order to ensure they get the meal.

The school system is also working with 3 camps where children can get lunch in addition to breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. She also says people can help hungry children by donating to area food banks.

This week, the Winston-Salem Forsyth County School System just launched their summer feeding program.  18 schools are participating and breakfast will be served from 8:15 a.m. to 8:45 a.m., and lunch will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Most of the state's school systems running these programs will feed children through mid-August.