‘Lunch and Literacy’ program to kick off June 5

Published 6:13 pm Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Staff members of the Carter County School System are gearing up for a pilot program to help provide meals and books to children during the month of June.

This year, the school system is taking part in a program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture to expand the school nutritional program into the summer months.

The Lunch and Literacy Program will be held during the month of June and is a collaboration between two different departments within the school system — the Nutrition Department and Curriculum Department.

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“We are really excited about it, and we hope to continue it next year,” said Director of School Nutrition Lindsey Feathers. “I think it’s a wonderful opportunity for Carter County.”

As part of the program, the school system will provide hot lunch meals to children under the age of 18 free of charge Monday through Thursday of the four-week long program. Adults accompanying a child can also get a meal for the price of $3.25 through the program.

The meals are hot and will include “student favorites” such as bacon cheeseburgers, chicken tenders, and pizza, Feathers said.

Each week the program will move to a different site in the community. Meals will be served at each location from 11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.

“There is no income requirement,” Feathers said, adding families do not have to register to participate.  All meals must be eaten on site to ensure the safety of the food and that the food is consumed by the child or teen.

The Lunch and Literacy Program site schedule is as follows:

• June 5-8 — Cloudland Elementary

• June 12-15 — Hampton High and Little Milligan Elementary

• June 19-22 — Happy Valley High

• June 26-29 — Unaka High

Staff will serve the meals in the cafeteria at each location. The sites are only open during serving times, and the cafeteria will be the only portion of the facility open to the program.

Feathers said families can go to any or all of the program sites regardless of where they live.

In addition to the meals, the children will also receive a free book as long as the book supply lasts. The school system is still accepting donations of new or gently used books at the central office located at 305 Academy Street, Elizabethton. Donated books must be age appropriate for children or teens, and school system staff will be checking the books.

For more information on the Lunch and Literacy program, call 423-547-2917.