The Paso Robles Joint Unified School District is stepping up to provide breakfast and lunch for students during the summer.
This year, the Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County will not be partnering with school districts in the county to provide summer food programs, but kids can still stop by open sites for a daily bite to eat.
There are five locations in northern San Luis Obispo County where kids 18 years or younger can find free breakfast and lunch when school is out. Students from any school district can stop by.
"It’s a valuable thing for our community knowing that there is a site that you can go and get breakfast or lunch and knowing that it can be a nutritious option for parents for their kids," said Gregg Wangard, Food Service Paso Robles Joint Unified School.
For some, it may be the only meal they eat all day. For others, it’s just some extra fuel.
"Some of us wouldn’t have much food and we’d probably be hungry and when we would get home we’d be eating like crazy,” said Kenny Borlodan, Atascadero fifth grader.
The executive director of Loaves and Fishes says she overheard families express more concern about feeding their kids over the summer, even though school programs exist.
"Often times they can’t get to those places and so when a parent gets off work, they can come here, get the groceries that they need and the kids will be taken care of for the summer," said Maria Sabi, Executive Director of Loaves and Fishes.
The Paso Robles Joint Unified School District serves about 500 meals a day over the summer and Loaves and Fishes serves about 1,600 people each month throughout the year.
The following summer lunch programs are open sites, meaning all students are welcome:
- · United Methodist Church
- 11605 El Camino Real, Atascadero
- · Georgia Brown Elementary School
- 525 36th Street, Paso Robles
- · Paso Robles High School
- 801 Niblick Rd, Paso Robles
- · Virginia Peterson
- 2501 Beechwood, Paso Robles
- · Winifred Pifer
- 1350 Creston Rd, Paso Robles
To view the distribution schedule and times, visit the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District’s website.
If families are still having trouble finding meals during summer, they can also reach out to Loaves and Fishes.
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Summer meals available to students in SLO County
Volunteers needed to help feed kids in Santa Barbara County
