SCHOOL NUTRITION
The Jones County Nutrition Department is offering the Seamless Summer Program again this year from June 5 through 29 to children in Jones County who wish to participate in healthy meals.
Matoshia Grant, the director of the Jones County Schools Nutrition Program, said she is looking forward to having the children at the sites for their meals this year and hopes to see some happy faces.
“We are offering the Seamless Summer Program this year like we have in past years. The sites will be the Jones County High School, Gray Elementary School, Mattie Wells Elementary School, and Clifton Ridge Middle School,” she said. “Those sites will be open for breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., and lunch will be from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. No registration is necessary.”
She said the children will be offered breakfast and lunch, but things will be a bit different. She said the children will eat their meals on site and can’t take them off site. She said parents can’t take home meals off site for their children, either. She said they get two meals per day, Monday through Thursday.
“They just show up during those times and they get whatever meal they want. There is no cost for anything. When the children come, the menus will be posted. We will have summer, kid friendly meals that are good for them to consume,” Grant said.
The director said the Seamless Summer Program is available for all children from ages zero to 18 years old, regardless if they are from Jones County or not. She said those who are 21 years old and under who have special needs can also visit sites for meals if they are enrolled in an educational program. She said there will be no deliveries, bus routes or mobile sites this year.
“Any child can eat for free. We wanted to get something out to the community, because there is a need. We want to take care of our children,” she said. “We see there is a need every day during the year, so it’s definitely there during the summer. We still have food insecurity here in Jones County.”
Grant said the children can enjoy foods such as corn dogs, fresh fruit, pizza, milk, graham crackers, sandwiches, and more this summer. She said they want to provide something healthy for the children to eat this summer, but nothing heavy and foods they like.
She said she enjoys the laughter and enjoyment the children experience when they like a meal, and she looks forward to seeing everyone at the sites this June. The director said there will be great things happening next school year, too.
“These will be good substance meals. We encourage children to come out and eat with us at these schools. We want to hear their feedbacßk on the meals,” Grant said. “We wanted to provide them with foods we know they like. I want to see the kids come up and enjoy the food.”
