Free Summer Meal Program for Children Across the Plateau

The University of the South, in partnership with the South Cumberland Community Fund, is sponsoring the South Cumberland Summer Meal Program for children this summer, an effort administered in Tennessee by the Department of Human Services under an agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Meals will be provided to all children without charge. Acceptance and participation requirements for the program and all activities are the same for all regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. There will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service. Liz Sirney, an AmeriCorps VISTA member with the University, is the program organizer.
In addition to the meals, there will be a program at each site that will last a minimum of one hour. Some summer meals are being served in partnership with library reading programs, vacation bible schools and other summer programs, and may include such information as nutrition education, gardening activities and art workshops.
Meals will be provided on the following dates and times at these area sites:
Franklin County
Camp Rain, Decherd: June 6–8; Monday–Wednesday, noon–1 p.m.
Rain Teen Center, Winchester: June 1–July 27; Wednesday, 6–9 p.m.
St. James Episcopal Church, Midway: June 1–July 29; Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 11 a.m.–noon.
Sewanee Elementary School, Sewanee: June 1–July 29; Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–noon.
Sherwood Community Center, Sherwood: July 4–27; Monday and Wednesday, noon–1 p.m.

Grundy County
Beersheba Public Library, Beersheba Springs: June 1–29; Wednesday, noon–1 p.m.
Coalmont Elementary School, Coalmont: June 6–30; Monday–Friday, noon–1 p.m.
Coalmont Public Library, Coalmont: July 7–28; Thursday, 1–2 p.m.
Cumberland Baptist Church, Beersheba Springs: July 18–22; Monday–Friday, 6–7 p.m.
First Methodist Church of Tracy City: June 8–July 27; Wednesday, 5–6 p.m.
Grundy County High School, Coalmont: June 1–28; Monday–Friday, 8: 30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
May Justus Memorial Library, Monteagle: June 2–July 28; Thursday, 10–11 a.m.
North Elementary School, Altamont: June 6–30; Monday–Friday, noon–1 p.m.
Palmer Church of God, Palmer: June 20–24; Monday–Friday, 6:30–8 p.m.
Palmer City Hall, Palmer: June 1–30; Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, 11:30 a.m–12:30 p.m.
Palmer Elementary School, Palmer: June 6–30; Monday–Friday, noon–1 p.m.
Palmer Public Library, Palmer: July 7–28; Thursday, 1–2 p.m.
Pelham Elementary School, Pelham: June 6–30; Monday–Friday, noon–1 p.m.
Swiss Memorial Elementary Garden Club, Gruetli-Laager: June 6–10; Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Swiss Memorial Elementary School, Gruetli-Laager: June 6–30; Monday–Friday, noon–1 p.m.
Tracy City Elementary School, Tracy City: June 6–30; Monday–Friday, noon–1 p.m.
Tracy City Public Library, Tracy City: July 6–27; Wednesday, noon–1 p.m.

Marion County
Morton Memorial United Methodist Church, Monteagle: July 25–28; Monday–Thursday, noon–1 p.m.
More information will be available at <www.facebook.com/pages/South-Cumberland-Summer-Meal-Program>.

Program Serves Thousands of Meals in First Month

After just over a month, the South Cumberland Summer Meal program is already off to a great start, according to Kelly Farina, the VISTA volunteer who is the project coordinator. Working in partnership with the South Cumberland Community Fund, the University of the South and the USDA, the meal program is working with 21 organizations in Franklin and Grundy counties to serve more than 5,500 meals to kids and teens on and off the Mountain. This program is free for any person under the age of 18, and no registration is necessary in order to receive a meal. 

Several new programs have started or expanded services in July on the Mountain. New programs in Tracy City at the Public Library and Christ Episcopal Church are underway. On Mondays and Wednesdays each week, the Crow Creek Valley Community Center in Sherwood now offers lunch. The Grundy Housing Authority is also offering breakfast and lunch three days a week. The last day of the Summer Meal Program will be July 31. 

Meal programs at Christ Episcopal also include programs for kids that range from demonstrations and interactive games on water and energy conservation to visits from park rangers at the South Cumberland State Park. The Rev. Stephen Eichler of Christ Episcopal said, “We are excited to be participating in the summer meal program and to be providing nutritious meals, along with enriching activities!”

The schedule for the remainder of the program is:

Cumberland Baptist Church, Beersheba Springs—6–8 p.m., Monday–Friday, July 27–31

Christ Church, Tracy City —Noon–1 p.m., Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays

Crow Creek Valley Community Center, Sherwood —10 a.m.–1 p.m., Mondays and Wednesdays

First Methodist Church, Tracy City—5–7 p.m., Wednesdays

Grundy Housing Authority, Monteagle —9–10 a.m., Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays

May Justus Memorial Library, Monteagle —10–11 a.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays

Midway/St.James playground, Sewanee—Noon–1 p.m., Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays

Palmer Public Library, Palmer—11 a.m.–noon, Thursdays

Tracy City Public Library, Tracy City—11 a.m.–1 p.m., Wednesdays

For more information about the South Cumberland Summer Meal Program, contact Farina at 598-1851 or email
<sfpvista@gmail.com>.

Lunch Program Feeds Hundreds of Kids

by Kevin Cummings, Messenger Staff Writer

“That’s the best lunch meal I’ve had in a long time,” said the 7-year-old boy.

He was talking about the June 15 lunch of chicken sandwich with lettuce and tomato, potatoes in olive oil and pesto, seasoned carrots, chocolate milk, and mixed fruit provided by the South Cumberland Summer Meal Program.

“I didn’t eat the kiwi; I don’t like kiwi,” he added. 

With or without kiwi, this is the type of nourishing meal kids in Grundy and Franklin counties are getting for free this summer, thanks to a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant and a partnership between the South Cumberland Community Fund and the University of the South.

Kelly Farina, an Americorps VISTA and program coordinator of the meal program, said organizers served more than 2,000 lunches the first week of June. 

“Each of our sites has done a great job reaching out to kids and teens in their communities,” Farina said. “We are very excited about all the great work they are doing and the dedication they have to helping make this program a success.” 

St. James Episcopal Church, Otey Parish, Grundy Housing Authority and May Justus Memorial Library in Monteagle are among more than a dozen sites in the two counties where kids 18 and under can get a free lunch regardless of family income level.

St. James has been the busiest site, Farina noted, with volunteers there serving 40 to 50 kids each day.

University executive chef Rick Wright and staff members of McClurg Dining Hall are preparing about 500 nutritious meals each day, Wright said.

“It would be easier and less expensive to meet the USDA requirements by using processed and packaged foods, as many sponsors do; that is not acceptable for me,” he said. “We do almost everything from scratch and exceed the dietary requirements set by the USDA.” 

A lunch last week included chicken fajitas with grilled natural chicken, local peppers and onions, a whole wheat tortilla and real cheese, with refried pinto beans, Spanish brown rice, and a fresh pineapple and shredded coconut cup.

When school closes for the summer, many children have less to eat. One out of every three children are food-insecure on the Cumberland Plateau, Wright said, adding that most children do not get the minimum requirement of fruits and vegetables. 

“Proper nutrition is critical to a child’s development. Not having enough of the right kinds of food can have serious implications for a child’s physical and mental health, academic achievement and future economic prosperity,” he said. “…No child should be hungry, not even sometimes, and every child should be getting fruits and vegetables.”

Wright credits Farina with much of the work in establishing the meal program. 

“Overall the kids we are serving have really been enjoying the meals,” Farina said. “Everything has been very filling and nutritious, and all the people at McClurg have been doing a great job and are really working to make this program the best it can be.”

The summer meal program will be back next year, Farina added.

Lunch days vary at the meal sites, and the sites also have activities for kids, like reading programs and guest speakers. Otey Parish serves meals from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays; St. James serves from noon to 1 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays; Grundy Housing Authority serves breakfast from 9 to 10 a.m. and lunch from 1 to 2 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; May Justus Memorial Library has a reading program from 10 to 11 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with lunch following.

A full schedule is available at “South Cumberland Summer Meal Program” on Facebook, or contact Farina at <sfpvista@gmail.com> or 598-1851 for more information.

Free Summer Meal Program for Children Across the Plateau

The University of the South is sponsoring a food program for children this summer, an effort administered in Tennessee by the Department of Human Services under an agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The program is called the South Cumberland Summer Meal Program. It will provide free meals for young people who qualify for free/reduced-price meals during the school year who may go hungry during the summer. The program’s goal is to improve the health and well-being of young people across the Plateau while providing good food and summer fun at the same time.

According to data from the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth, 48 percent of young people in Franklin County qualify for the free/reduced-price lunch program; in Grundy County, 68 percent of young people qualify. Statewide, 44 percent of students qualify for the program. This idea was first envisioned by Rick Wright, executive chef at the Sewanee dining program. He is a longtime advocate for healthy eating. Kelly Farina, an AmeriCorps VISTA member with the University, is the program organizer.

In addition to the meals, at each site there will be a program that will last a minimum of one hour. Some summer meals are being served in partnership with library reading programs, vacation bible schools and other summer programs, and may include such information as nutrition education, gardening activities and art workshops.

Meals will be provided to all children without charge. Acceptance and participation requirements for the program, and all activities are the same for all regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. There will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service. 

Meals will be provided on the following dates and times at these area sites:

Franklin County

Community Action Committee, Otey Parish, Sewanee: June 1–30; Monday and Wednesday; noon–1 p.m.

Crow Creek Valley Community Center, Sherwood: July 1–31; Monday, Wednesday and Friday; 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

St. James Episcopal Church, Sewanee: June 2– 30; Tuesday and Thursday; noon–1 p.m.

Sewanee Elementary School ESP: June 1–Aug. 14; Monday through Friday; 9:30 a.m. and noon.

Huntland Community Center: June 4–Aug. 13; Thursday; noon–1 p.m.

Rain Teen Center, Winchester: June 3–Aug. 12; Wednesday; 6–9 p.m.

Trinity Episcopal Church, Winchester: June 3–July 30 ; Wednesday and Friday, noon–1 p.m. 

Grundy County

Altamont Community Center: June 1–30; Monday–Friday; noon–1 p.m.

Beersheba Public Library: June 3–24; Wednesday; noon – 1 p.m.

Beersheba Springs Medical Center: June 1–30; Monday; 9 a.m.

Cumberland Baptist Church, Beersheba Springs: July 27–31; Monday–Friday; 6–8 p.m.

Dubose Conference Center, Monteagle: June 1–June 29; Monday, Wednesday, Friday; noon–1 p.m.

First Methodist Church, Tracy City: June 1–5; Monday–Friday; 5–7 p.m.

May Justus Library, Monteagle: June 2–30; Tuesday and Thursday; 10–11 a.m.

Palmer Library: June 18– July 30; Thursday; noon–1 p.m.

Swiss Memorial Elementary Garden Club: June 18– July 30; Monday–Friday; 8 a.m.–noon.

Tracy City Library: July 1–31; Wednesday and Friday; 11 a.m.–noon.