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Summer meal programs offered around Crawford Co.
Northeast Elementary, located at 201 N. West St. in Arma, is one of the many summer food locations in Crawford County, offering meals to go Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to noon starting at the end of the month. - photo by Aaron Pyle

PITTSBURG, Kan. — Summer meal programs are being offered at numerous school districts, libraries, and cooperatives across Crawford County this summer, ensuring that children and teens continue to receive free, nutritious meals during months when school is not in session.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), there are approximately 13 sites in the county that offer meals to-go or on-site options. The Pittsburg sites offer on-site meals while the remainder of the sites in the county offer to-go meals. Many of the summer meal programs begin on June 1.

In Pittsburg, options are available at Westside Elementary, Meadowlark Elementary Pittsburg Community Middle School, and Pittsburg High School, all of which begin June 1. Meadowlark and Westside Elementary offer their meals Monday through Friday from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. for breakfast and 10:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for lunch. PCMS and PHS hold their on-site meal programs at similar times from Monday through Thursday.

In the Arma and Franklin area, meals are available at Franklin Park beginning June 1 from 11 to 11:30 a.m. Monday through Thursday and at Northeast Elementary from 11 a.m. to noon Monday through Thursday.

The Arcadia and Mulberry areas also have meal programs through the summer at the Arcadia Community Center and Mulberry Community Center. Both programs take place from 11 to 11:30 a.m. Monday through Thursday. Other areas in the northern part of the county, such as Hepler and Walnut, feature summer meal options at the Hepler City Library and Walnut Public Library. The programs in Walnut and Hepler take place only on Monday and Wednesday, respectively, from 5 to 6 p.m.Those sites offer five breakfasts and five lunches along with 10 servings of milk.

Much like the Walnut and Hepler program, the Girard Public Library will offer its summer meal program from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every Wednesday, giving attendees five breakfasts and five lunches along with 10 servings of milk, as well.

The Southeast Kansas Education Service Center at Greenbush will offer meals to-go from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Thursday, beginning July 7.

Persons in the southern portion of the county have options in McCune and Weir. Sponsored by the Southeast Kansas Education Service Center, the McCune Osage Library’s meal program starts June 6 and takes place from 11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. The Weir option is on-site and already underway from 8 to 8:30 a.m. for breakfast and 11:30 a.m. to noon for lunch, Monday through Friday.

For more information, visit fns.usda.gov/sfsp/sitefinder or kansasfoodsource.org.

This reporting is made possible, in part, by the Support Local Journalism Project Fund. Learn more at: southeastkansas.org/Localnews.