TOPSHAM

For most kids, summer often means a welcome break from school and a chance for fun in the sun. But for those in the Mid-coast dependent on schools to provide healthy meals during the day, summer could mean being deprived of badly needed nutrition.

As a result, Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program is spreading the word about its Summer Food Service Program, which offers 11 sites where children can get free meals in the region, including a new food site at Mt. Ararat Middle School announced June 26.

The need is increasing, according to Ethan Minton, program director for MCHPP.

For example, on a recent day, MCHPP prepared about 310 meals. Last year, the most meals MCHPP prepared in a day was about 250.

“So we’re now averaging significantly more than we were last year, and that’s in part due to the additional sites and in part to opening up the sites in Lisbon,” Minton said. “We’ve seen a big increase there. The potential is there to be doing 400 meals.”

Some MCHPP sites, known as enrolled sites, are associated with summer recreation programs, and so students in those programs who qualify for free and reduced lunch during the school year are eligible during the summer, Minton said.

Open sites are those where anyone 18 and under can come and be served, “no questions asked,” Minton said.

Whether a site is considered open or enrolled depend on the site’s location, the demographics of the neighborhood and if free or reduced lunch is served at a school.

“The most effective sites are open sites because any potential barrier will limit participation,” Minton said.

The Topsham site was moved from a church that saw very low turnout to Mt. Ararat Middle School where, in the first days, there were between four and eight students coming, according to Minton. That number is increasing since meals are served to children at the pre-K program taking place at the school, and there is an opportunity for children attending summer school, band camp and other activities at the school over the summer to partake in the program.

Funding for the summer food program is provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but the MCHPP also accepts donations from local farms.

MCHPP receives a budgeted amount of money per meal and is given strict guidelines in terms of what meals have to include. The meal pattern includes a milk component, meat or meat alternates, fruit, vegetables and grains.

Bridget Horan of Ameri- Corps VISTA at MCHPP runs the Topsham site and said Tuesday she served 18 breakfasts and 22 lunches. Lunch was a whole wheat bagel with sun butter and jelly, fresh broccoli with ranch dressing, fresh strawberries, a mozzarella cheese stick and milk.

Minton said that participation is very high in the subsidized housing in Perryman Village in Brunswick, where 20 to 25 participants are joining volunteers for lunch. Offering programs in neighborhoods allow children to walk or bike to the site.

In 2014, the number of children who were food insecure increased from 17-19 percent to 21 percent, according to Gail Lombardi, Summer Food Service Program coordinator for the Maine Department of Education.

As with any program, it takes a community of people to bring the program into operation, Lombardi said.

“Schools are ideal partners because they know meal patterns, they know how our systems operate and the federal regulations. But we have several nonprofit sponsors who are also participating with us,” said Lombardi.

Representatives from organizations, including Maine SNAP-Ed, Tri-County Literacy, and 4-H Summer of Science camps visit the Topsham site weekly to help educate children about nutrition, according to Horan.

In Maine, libraries have been a partner with the program, and some are offering to serve as a food site.

Lombardi noted that there is a big need for community members to promote the program.

Transportation is often a barrier when it comes to getting kids to the 378 meal sites throughout the states, especially for children living in rural areas.

“Many of our students in Maine get breakfast and lunch and sometimes a snack at school, and the summer meals program is really meant to support students during the summer,” Lombardi said. “Research is showing that students who are well nourished during the summer have less of a learning-loss than those who don’t have access to meals.”

MCHPP are looking for volunteers for food preparation. Email volunteer@mchpp.org for an application.

For a list of the nearby food sites, go to www.fns.usda.gov/summerfoodrocks. For additional information, go to www.211maine.org or call 211.

Anyone can call the National Hunger Hotline for information about where they can access food whether child or adult at 1-866-3-HUNGRY 8 a.m.-8 p.m., Monday-Friday.

Open or enrolled food sites

There following are food sites in the area that are either open or enrolled. An open site is one that anyone, aged 2-18, may visit to receive a free meal with no questions asked. An enrolled site means that those who have registered for a summer camp at one of these locations and are also eligible to receive free or reduced lunch during the school year may receive a free meal.

For more information contact Savannah MacLean smaclean@mchpp.org.

Brunswick
Family Focus/Hawthorne School
46 Federal St.
June 23 – Aug. 21, noon-1 p.m. (Mon-Fri)
Site type: Enrolled

Harriet Beecher Stowe/Summer Rec Program
44 Mckeen St.
June 24 – Aug. 13, noon-1 p.m. (Mon-Fri)
Site type: Enrolled

MCHPP
84A Union St.
June 23 – Aug. 21, 11-1 p.m. (Mon-Fri)
Site type: Open

Perryman Village
1 Perryman Drive
June 23 – Aug. 21, noon-1 p.m. (Mon-Fri)
Site type: Open

Dresden
86 Cedar Grove Road
June 22 – July 15
Breakfast 9-10 a.m. (Mon-Wed)
Site type: Open

Harpswell Coastal Academy
9 Ash Point Road
Session 1: June 19 – July 16 (Mon-Thurs)
Session 2: July 20 – Aug. 6 (Mon-Thurs)
Site type: Enrolled

Harpswell Community School
308 Harpswell Islands Road
June 22 – July 3, noon-1 p.m. (Mon-Fri)
Site type: Open

Lisbon Community School
33 Mill St.
June 29 – Aug. 14, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Mon, Tues,
Thurs)
Site type: Open

MTM Community Center
18 School St.
June 29 – Aug. 14, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Mon, Tues,
Thurs)
Site type: Open

Richmond
Marcia Buker School
28 High St.
June 30 – July 30, noon-1 p.m. (Tues-Thurs)
Site type: Open

Topsham
Mt. Ararat Middle School
66 Republic Ave.
June 22 – Aug. 21
Breakfast 9-10 a.m.; lunch noon-1 p.m. (Mon-Fri)
Site type: Open

dmoore@timesrecord.com