Lunch programs press on despite struggle to keep food on tables

With food prices soaring, programs that provide lunches for children during the summer are struggling to make ends meet.

The rising prices almost forced Sheffield officials to cancel a summer lunch program at Michael Center.

"We were afraid we were going to have to close the program down," said Mike Johnson, Sheffield's director of parks and recreation. "We were looking at losing at least $1,500 because of the higher prices we were going to have to pay for our meals this year. The government will only reimburse $2.75 per child per day to pay for the meals and our operating costs. Our meals alone were going to cost more than that."

The Michael Center program is a continuation of the free and reduced-price lunch program for school students. About 30 children from Sheffield and Tuscumbia attend the program Monday-Friday during the summer break from school.

Not wanting to leave children in the Michael Center program to fend for themselves at lunchtime during the summer, Johnson said he searched high and low for more affordable meals.

The Alabama Department of Education alerted Johnson to a company in Florida that sells frozen meals around the country for summer programs. The meals, which include a sandwich, fruit cup, milk and juice, only have to be thawed before serving.

Johnson followed up on the tip and said he found the meals to be nutritious and affordable. He checked into other companies that sell similar meals before settling on the company recommended by state officials.

"They asked us to be the guinea pig for Alabama," Johnson said. "They told me if we were pleased with the thaw-and-serve meals, summer feeding programs all over the state would probably use them.

"All the feeding programs are struggling to stay alive with food prices rising the way they are. A lot of programs have shut down because they could no longer afford to operate."

Johnson said he was worried about how the children in the Michael Center program would accept the new meals.

"I held my breath that first day," he said. "I wasn't sure if they would even eat them. But the meals were a hit. The kids really liked them."

Between bites of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, 8-year-old Dylan Davidson said the thaw-and-serve meals are tasty. "I like them."

Melody McVay, manager of the Michael Center, said she has heard no complaints from the children about the new meals.

"The kids all think they are a treat," she said. "Mr. Johnson went all out to find a way to keep this feeding program going. A lot of people would have given up and shut the program down, but not Mr. Johnson. He believes in this program too much to let it go."

The Sheffield program was the first in the Shoals and is one of a few that still operates in northwest Alabama.

Shaler Roberts III, executive director of the Florence Housing Authority, said the agency ended its summer lunch program in 2005. He said grants became nearly impossible to come by and the expense of the program forced its end.

"We realize it's a good thing, a very needed program and we're glad the Boys and Girls Clubs still do it," Roberts said.

Children who participate in the summer programs at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Northwest Alabama not only have access to entertaining activities, they also receive a meal every day, Monday through Friday, according to Karen Jarmon, the agency's executive director.

One branch of the club is in Leighton, serving children ages 6-18. The Florence programs at Carver serve children ages 6-12 and Cherry Hill Homes serve children 6-18. There is also a teen club on Locust Street in Florence for 13- to 18-year-olds.

Each of the programs operate from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily. Various sports camps are open to the children in the morning hours while the afternoon includes arts and crafts and a "power hour," which is a program for children who need tutoring. They are fed lunch, which is usually a sandwich or hotdog, pretzels and a drink.

Davis said the summer programs will serve from 300-400 children each day. For families that can afford to pay, there is a $1 fee per week, but no child is denied services because of an inability to pay.

Officials with the organization know that food costs in the present economy eats into their budget but said doing away with the service isn't an option.

"Feeding these kids is a part of meeting their needs just like the activities we offer," said Natalie Davis, the area director for the clubs. "We realize that these kids can't concentrate on any task if they haven't had adequate food."

Jarmon said the clubs primarily depend on donations from local churches during the summer months to help with food costs. In addition, the United Way provides a one-time $500 stipend for the months of June and July.

"This hardly covers the cost of the food that we serve which is now more expensive than ever," Jarmon said. "We know the program is needed and that's why we continue with it."

James Peoples, administrator of the child and adult care meal programs for the Alabama Department of Education, said summer lunch programs for children throughout the state are feeling the pinch of higher food prices.

He said smaller programs, such as those in the Shoals, are being hit the hardest by the higher prices. Peoples said the cost per meal is less for large programs than for small ones because of the volume of meals the larger programs serve.

He said the amount of money agencies spend on summer meal programs vary depending on the size of the program.

Even with the federal help, Peoples said the number of summer programs in Alabama is declining. "We lose three or four every year."

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports the average daily attendance for summer meal programs in Alabama fell from 40,392 in the 2005 fiscal year to 26,042 in 2007. Cash payments from the agriculture department to summer lunch programs in Alabama declined from $3.96 million to $3 million during the time period.

Peoples said summer programs throughout Alabama are watching Sheffield's experiment with the thaw and serve meals. If it is a success, other programs around the state could switch to the pre-packaged meals next summer as a way to cope with rising food costs.