For many kids in Great Falls, the school year isn’t the only time they can count on a healthy meal. This summer, the Great Falls Public Schools (GFPS) Summer Food Service Truck rolled into neighborhoods across the city, bringing free, nutritious meals directly to children and families.
Brianna Juneau reports - watch:
The program, which ran for several weeks during the summer break, served more than 300 meals a day at a total of 9 sites across the Electric City. By parking in easily accessible locations in front of schools and parks, the bright lime green food truck allowed kids to grab a meal without having to travel far – a boost for families who may not have transportation or access to a traditional meal site.
“Every morning, we serve kids breakfast and we load all of our milk and all of our sandwiches and whatever we're going to have for lunch, hot and cold lunches and head out to serve them,” explained GFPS Summer Truck supervisor Jerry Smith. “I like to see the smiles on their faces because they, you know, are going to have a nice lunch.”
The menu featured a variety of kid-friendly and balanced options, from sandwiches and mac and cheese to fresh fruits and vegetables. Meals were free with no registration or paperwork required.
Rochelle Shadrack, a Kitchen Lead at Lewis and Clark Elementary who volunteers every summer with the truck says that for families and community members, the impact has been significant. “I've met a lot of families and kids. They're just having a really good time with that, being able to get a meal and even sometimes providing them a meals for the weekend as well.”
This summer marks another successful year for the program. As of the end of July, the food truck had served more than 14,000 meals and is expected to exceed the 15,000 meals that were served last summer. By bringing food directly into the community, GFPS staff say they’re helping kids stay fueled, active, and ready to learn when classes start again.
The food truck’s last day of service this year will be on August 14th.
Breakfast is served at the Paris Gibson Education Center from 8 - 9:30am, and lunch is served there from 11:30 - 1:00 pm.
Here’s a look at the remaining lunch schedule:
Chief Joseph Elementary 10:50-11:05
Lions Park 11:15-11:30
Sunnyside Elementary 11:40-11:55
Valley View Elementary 12:10-12:25
West Elementary 12:35-12:50
Rhodes Park** 12:55-1:10
Carter Park** 10:30-10:45
Gibson Park** 11:00-11:45
West Kiwanis Park** 12:00-12:45
