Program will serve nearly 3 million free meals to needy kids
BILOXI, Miss. (AP) – Almost 3 million free meals will be served to needy Mississippi children this summer.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s summer food service program will provide nearly 41,000 meals a day in the state. That’s up to two meals a day per child in some locations, for about 2.8 million meals throughout the summer.
Meals will be provided at schools, HUD multi-family housing complexes, recreation centers, low-income housing units, religious institutions and other places.
About 2.5 million meals were provided last summer.
Officials from the USDA, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the state Department of Education and Magnolia Health are launching the program Thursday in Biloxi.
The USDA’s Robin Bailey says the program helps “fill the gap” for children who rely on free or reduced-price meals at school.
