John Matthews
WMAL.com
ROCKVILLE — (WMAL) With nearly 40 percent of schoolchildren in Montgomery County eligible for free or reduced price meals in schools, Montgomery County lawmakers are looking to expand the number of free meals available to needy children on weekends.
“These children will be much more successful if they have quality meals over the weekend,” says Craig Rice, who chairs the County Council’s Education Committee. “We know that some of these children don’t have that.
Three non-profit groups – Manna Food Center, KIND and Women Who Care Ministries, currently run a weekend food bag program that provides meals to 4,600 kids in need, and the county council is in the process of adding $150,000 to the program’s budget, with a goal of feeding 1,100 additional students so they don’t go hungry on weekends.
Rice says it’s important that children not only have something in their bellies, but that they get healthy meals as well.
“We actually include things from fresh fruit – things that can actually last through a weekend for Saturday and Sunday. We make sure to include the staples, but things that are of a whole grain variety so they are much healthier,” says Rice.
The children are sent home with their weekend meals in non-descript backpacks, so they won’t stick out or be targeted by other students as needy.
Copyright 2016 by WMAL.com. All Rights Reserved. (PHOTO: Manna Food Center)
