In an effort to combat childhood hunger, the Wyoming Department of Education is seeking sponsors for a federally funded program to provide nutritious meals and snacks to low-income students this summer.

"During the regular school year, about 38 percent of Wyoming's kids qualify for free and reduced-price meals," said Amanda Anderson, WDE Nutrition Program Consultant. "The need is definitely there for those kids to be served nutritious and healthy meals during the summertime."

Wyoming Summer Food Service Program sites provided nearly 300,000 meals and snacks to children and teenagers last year.

"That was an increase of almost 55,000 additional meals over the previous summer, but is still only 50 percent of the meals we serve to at-risk students during the school year," said Tamra Jackson, WDE Nutrition Programs State Director.

"We're continuously increasing sites, but we're not hitting the numbers that we want," said Anderson. "We still have communities that aren't serving meals during the summer months."

For more information on sponsoring a Summer Food Service Program in your community, contact Anderson at (307) 777-7168 or amanda.anderson@wyo.gov.

Sponsors are reimbursed a set amount per each meal served and typically include public and private nonprofit schools; local, municipal, county, tribal and state government entities; private nonprofit organizations; public and private nonprofit camps; and public and private nonprofit universities or colleges.

Tim Boyle, Getty Images
Tim Boyle, Getty Images
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