MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -
On Monday, Rutherford County began their summer feeding program which provides meals to school aged children.
The program is designed to lessen the financial burden of feeding children three meals when school is out for summer break.
Cafeteria Manager at Stewartsboro Elementary Ronda Causey explained, "[The program is] very important, especially with the way the economy is today. Lots of kids do not have lunch and breakfast meals available at home."
Last year Rutherford County served over 45,000 lunches and over 20,000 breakfast meals during the summer break.
"It's gone up. It's gone up every year since we started the program. This is our fifth year and every year we have more," said Causey.
Two additional sites have been added in the county this year to keep up with demand.
Any child in the Rutherford County school district qualifies for the program. Registration is not needed.
Parents and students should contact individual sites for serving times.
A list of sites is available on the Rutherford County school district's Web site.
The program continues through July 27.
Also on Monday, the Metro Action Commission began serving breakfast and lunch meals to Davidson County school children.
