BRATTLEBORO — As school ends this spring, so do school lunch programs and convenient, regular access to nutritious meals for many area children.
That's why Project Feed the Thousands has announced a special summer appeal to residents of southeastern Vermont and southwestern New Hampshire to help ensure that area children get enough to eat each day through the warm months.
For the 60 percent of children in local communities who qualify for reduced lunches and free breakfasts, school is sometimes their only source for regular, nutritious food. Summer lunch programs do everything they can to provide meals to local children, but only half of eligible families access these meals over the summer.
Area food shelves do their best to reach families who can't easily access these summer programs, but they are struggling to keep up, said Project Feed co-chair Kelli Corbeil.
Project Feed co-chair Jeff Morse said that with a financial donation to Project Feed the Thousands, every dollar given stretches farther to feed more children.
“We're focusing on financial donations this summer,” said Morse, “because local food banks can buy food from bulk suppliers at significant discounts over retail prices.”
Project Feed the Thousands is the largest annual food drive in the area. It serves people of all ages in southeastern Vermont, as well as New Hampshire border towns in collaboration with local businesses, schools, and community organizations. People may find more information and online donation forms for Project Feed the Thousands at ProjectFeedTheThousands.org.