Redwood Area School District’s Summer Food Service Program back to normal for this year

The Redwood Area Schools summer food service program has important news for the community: everything is back to normal.

The summer food service program provides free breakfasts and lunches for area children while school is out. Last year, with COVID concerns, the summer food program was take-out, with curbside service. The biggest change in the summer food program this year, compared to last, is that they’re just going back to the old, pre-COVID way of doing things. Laurie Milbrandt, the Food Service Director, told KLGR:

Tom Anderson, Director of Finance and Support Services for the Redwood Area Schools, said the summer food service program is a joint effort of the school district, the Minnesota Department of Education, and the USDA.

The program for this year started about two weeks ago, on June 14, at Reede Gray Elementary School, and the numbers aren’t up to what they were at pre-COVID. In other words, there are still openings available for any children who show up at this time. Currently, the program averages about 110-120 children for breakfasts, and about 80 for lunch.

The hours are Monday through Friday at Reede Gray Elementary School from 8:45 – 9:15 a.m. for breakfast, and 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. for lunch, and state and federal regulations require those hours be pretty strict.

There’s no charge for the breakfasts or lunches, and anyone under 18 is eligible to join in. There’s also no need to register or sign up. It’s anonymous, so even children from outside the Redwood Area School Districts are eligible. All children have to do is show up. However, Anderson said:

However, there is no transportation available, so parents, guardians, or the kids themselves, are responsible for getting kids there.

Also, the food service is again partnering with the Redwood Falls Public Library to provide free snacks for children every day, from 3 – 4 p.m. For more information about this year’s summer food service program in Redwood Falls, check out the Redwood Area School’s website.