MAGNA, Utah (ABC4) — One in six Utah children depend on breakfast and lunch at school. When the school year ends, the families are without their support.
To help fill the gap, the Utah Food Bank offers its Summer Food Service Program — feeding Utah Kids from Davis County to St. George.
Most days across the state, the Utah Food Bank sets up at parks and other kid-friendly spots with lunch. They provide a meal for any children under the age of 18, no questions asked.
It’s pretty simple: The Utah Food feeds Utahns. And wherever the need is, that is where they go.
Ginnette Bott is the President of CEO of the Utah Food Bank. She explained what this summer program does, ”Last Summer, we had over 300 sites that fed our kids during the summer months. If you look around, you can see there are many kids in need of a meal today.”
We met up at a lunch spot in Magna. For many children in Utah, school doesn’t just mean learning; it also means food. When the school year ends, the meals they depend on do too. That is where programs like this fill the void.
Bott explains, “Meals like this can help the parents. It balances out the budget. Maybe they can pay another bill – it’s crucial we help our families get through the summer months.”
It’s a meal and a break in a safe space. Each of the 60 sites the food bank sponsors fills the need for that area. If more food is needed, they will bring it.
Bott continued, “We have rural communities – so if the kids come there, they get a packet of lunches and the parents only make that trip one time. We are trying to accommodate the needs of the families.”
This is just another way the Utah Food Bank feeds the needs of Utahns.
Bott puts it simply, “The Utah food bank has been helping our state since 1904. Last year, we helped 400,000 people who were food insecure in our state, and it is our responsibility to do that for all 29 counties.”
The summer is busy, but the need continues. The Utah Food Bank can use your time, money and food. Especially this time of year.
If you would like to visit one of the lunch sites, you can see the full list of locations here.
Latest headlines:
- Forsyth Fire now 42% contained as it continues to burn Washington County
- University of Utah parking permit prices are about to jump
- Big, beautiful bill heads back to House
- Utah Food Bank fills the gap of food insecurity for Utah’s children – no questions asked
- Monsoonal moisture is on the move through Utah for the midweek
