Sheldon, Iowa — The number of students taking advantage of the two Summer Lunch Programs in Sheldon has been strong so far this summer.
The Summer Lunch Program headquartered at the Sheldon United Methodist Church has been serving the community’s kids for the past several years. This year, Michelle Noack, Children’s Ministry Coordinator, says they are currently serving about 50-75 free meals per day to kids, adults, and her volunteer staff. She noted that many kids come on their own, but they also have families and daycare providers coming in as well. She says that the number served per day is very similar to the numbers they saw two and even three years ago. Last year, however, she says the numbers dropped a bit due to COVID, as they only served about 45-50 each day. Noack says last summer, the church served hot meals to-go. She says they decided to keep a to-go option available for this year. In addition to the hot meal, participants also receive a snack bag to take home for later. For those kids who do stay to eat, Noack says they are welcome to play in the church’s gym when they are finished eating. The United Methodist Summer Lunch Program serves Monday through Friday at 11:00 am, beginning the first day of summer vacation through the last day before school starts in the fall. The program is staffed by volunteers.
Beginning last year, the Sheldon Community Schools also began serving free summer lunches. Superintendent Cory Myer says the District qualified for the Summer Food Program last year, prior to COVID. The five-year grant is sponsored through the USDA and provides for food as well as transportation to and from the hot lunch site at East Elementary. Myer says the meals are free for kids up through age 18, and are open to any of the kids in the community, not just those who attend Sheldon public schools. Anyone over age 18 is also welcome to come and eat for $3.85. Hot meals are served Monday through Friday from 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM, with a brown bag breakfast also provided for kids to take home and eat the next day. Myer tells us transportation is provided via the regular in-town bus stops used throughout the school year, including stops at Sheldon Christian School and St. Patrick’s Catholic School. The provided transportation and the dine-in option are new this year compared to last year when COVID forced the dynamics of the Summer Food Program to change. Last year, kids received sack lunches and breakfasts via several drop points throughout Sheldon. This year, there is still an option for parents and daycare providers to pick up a brown bag lunch rather than sit down to eat, however, the dine-in option is the true intention of the Summer Food Program. Myer says currently, about 100-130 kids are being served per day in addition to 10-15 adults. He says the uncertainty of how many lunches will be served from day to day has certainly been challenging for the kitchen staff. However, he says Cheryl Heitritter, the District’s Food Services Director, has been doing a great job with meeting the challenge. The Sheldon Community Schools Summer Food Program will run through August 6th.
You can view photos from each Summer Lunch Program Center below…….
Sheldon United Methodist Summer Lunch Menu for June 25th
UMC Summer Lunch Program Volunteers
Sheldon Community Schools Food Service employees serve the meals
Students being served lunch at Sheldon Community Schools Summer Lunch Program
Story and photos by KIWA’s Shelley Hoogers
