As the school year comes to a close at Heartland Elementary, the community can look forward to a variety of delicious choices for breakfast and lunch, ensuring that the spirit remains vibrant even after the final bell rings.
Principal Buddy Alger highlighted that a significant number of their students qualify for free or reduced lunch programs.
“What that means is that students are experiencing some financial difficulties at home, so they’re eligible to have the school pay for their breakfast and lunch,” Alger said.
Katie Bastian, the nutrition services director for the Jordan School District, emphasized that many students depend on these meals provided at school. That’s the reason they put in the effort to ensure these meals are nutritious and accessible to all.
“At the Jordan School District, we open all the sites that we qualify to serve summer meals, so we have five locations open this summer,” Bastian said.
Visit their website for all the program details, including locations such as Heartland Elementary, Majestic Elementary, Westvale Elementary, Oquirrh Elementary, and Columbia Elementary. Located in West Jordan, these establishments will welcome visitors from Monday to Friday, operating from June 9 to August 1.
Bastian announced that the event is accessible to everyone, meaning that regardless of your district, you can enjoy a complimentary meal if you are 18 years old or younger. Prices for breakfast and lunch for adults differ.
The Utah Food Bank is stepping up to contribute to the solution by offering free meals during the summer months.
“Summer’s here now. A lot of times, parents are working. A lot of times, that food budget gets stretched more and more because additional food is needed at home, and it becomes a real challenge for families,” said Ginette Bott, the president and CEO of Utah Food Bank.
Bott announced that summer feeding sites have been established across the majority of counties in Utah. Discover the precise locations by visiting their official website.
“Our goal this year is to provide 215,000 lunches for kids throughout the locations that we’re responsible for. Other groups have goals just like ours.” Bott added.
