D-300 program keeps kids healthy on summer break

Lauren M. Anderson – landerson@nwherald.com Gabriel Lagunes-Garcia, 6, of Carpentersville takes a bite of his hot dog Tuesday at Carpentersville Middle School. Aramark and District 300 have partnered up this summer to offer free breakfasts and lunches during the week at the middle school. The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and available to any child younger than 18. (Lauren M. Anderson ())

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CARPENTERSVILLE – The sound of boisterous children echoes from the cafeteria at Carpentersville Middle School even though classes are out for summer vacation.

On Tuesday, bites of hot dog were the only thing that seemed to quiet them. By noon, 132 children had received a free meal at the school through a federally funded program.

The program is open to any child under 18, no questions asked, said Scott Rodgers, general manager of food service for District 300 through food provider Aramark.

“It’s a program we are pretty excited about,” Rodgers said. “It costs a lot to feed a family, especially in this economy. This an opportunity for folks to trim a few dollars off their grocery bill.”

Any school where at least 50 percent of the students qualify for free or reduced price lunches is able to offer the free program, which offers both breakfast and lunch, District 300 Chief Financial Officer Cheryl Crates said. At Carpentersville Middle School, 86 percent of the students qualify for lunch assistance, but the program is open to any child who comes in, not just Carpentersville Middle School or District 300 students.

“When school is not in session, we need to be able to make sure they eat,” Crates said.

Tuesday’s breakfast included juice, milk, a blueberry muffin and graham cracker. For lunch, it was hot dogs, carrots, orange slices, peas and pears.

Most of the children who went through the lunch line this week are in a Boys and Girls Club of Dundee Township summer program.

Michelle Ritchie, unit director at the Boys and Girls Club, said that most of the children in the program otherwise wouldn’t have access to a good lunch.

“A lot of the kids have parents who aren’t home during the day,” she said. “Here, we provide the kids with a healthy, nutritious lunch.”

Brian Diaz of Carpentersville will be in fifth grade next year, but for now goes to the Boys and Girls Club during the day while his adult family members work.

“The food is pretty good,” he said, although he didn’t touch the peas that came along with his hot dog.

Because of construction, the other schools in District 300 that qualify for the program – Golfview, Meadowdale, Perry, Lakewood and Parkview – were not able to offer it this year. Crates said the offerings at Carpentersville Middle School are larger this summer to help make up for it.

“In a time when a lot of people are struggling, we want to get the word out to the community about this,” Rodgers said. “We are open to anyone under 18 – no questions asked. We encourage folks to take advantage.”