Food bank expands summer feeding sites

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - It's just like the cafeteria at school. Hungry kids line up for lunch and then sit down to eat it. But this is not school it's the clubhouse of the Chapel Gate apartments in West Lafayette.

"These kids are getting their lunches for free throughout the school year. That is a real burden lifted off the parents, they don't have to provide that throughout the week and then when summer hits all of a sudden they have this extra financial burden," said Heather Smith one of the site directors for Food Finders Food Bank summer feeding program.

Smith said Monday through Friday kids ages two to 18 can come to any of the 17 sites in Tippecanoe and surrounding counties and eat for free. Even if the children do not live at the site.

"So it is helpful to ease that burden a little bit. To give the kids something to do and somewhere to go to meet other kids and play have fun and get a free lunch," said Smith. 

Food Finders support staff members are not the only adults on site helping to feed the kids. Each apartment building provides their own set of volunteers, like Shari Music, who's known to the children at Chapel Gate as "Granny".

"This is important because I love kids and this is one meal I know they get a day and that warms my heart to see them eat and be happy," said Music. 

Music said they feed as many as 15 children a day at Chapel Gate. She said she wouldn't know how these kids would get food if it wasn't for Food Finders.

"This is one meal we know they are not going to go hungry. And if mom and dad don't have something for them for lunch they know they can get it here and that's why it's so very important," said Music. 

Smith said Food Finders is also providing kids with food to take home over the weekend.

"We are handing out, weekend bags as a continuation of the backpack program. So some days they will get food to take home with them just like they would if they were in school," said Smith.