More Children in Need of Summer Lunches

The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma expects to provide 18,500 free meals this summer to children in need, 8,000 more than last year.

Friday, June 12th 2009, 5:45 pm

By: News 9


By Colleen Chen, NEWS 9

OKALHOMA CITY -- The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma expects to provide 18,500 free meals this summer to the growing number of kids in need. This year's projected number is 8,000 more than last year, and the most in the summer feeding program's history.

The face of the kids participating has also jumped into a new category.

Learn more about the summer feeding program.

"They're more from everyday families. In many cases, the parent has lost a job, they may have had a nice house that got foreclosed on and now they're just down and out," said Paula Clayton, who manages childhood hunger for the food bank.

Seven-year-old Maria Forbes is now a regular at one of the feeding program sites. She approves of the healthy meal.

"I had these graham crackers, some more crackers with this applesauce, some juice, and some milk. It was good," Maria said. "My mom works in the Air Force. My dad works too. The free meals really helps because their money is really tight right now."

There are no strings attached to the summer feeding program, which provides breakfast and lunch at many sites in Oklahoma.

"It's open to anyone under the age of 18 and they don't have to qualify for anything. They just walk in and we serve them," Clayton said.

Learn more about the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma.

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