Schools, organizations offering catering for children’s entertainment in summer | Education

Access to nutritious food won’t be a problem for local youth this summer as Scottsbluff and Gering Schools and the Carpenter’s Center prepare to offer meals.

Scottsbluff Public Schools will begin their Summer Catering Program on Tuesday, May 31st. Taher, a district food service management company, will offer free meals at six locations to children aged 18 and under. Adults can buy food for $4.50.

Snacks will also be provided from 9 am to 9:30 am at SBPS schools, with the exception of Scottsbluff High School, for children aged 18 and under. Snacks are $3.55 and breakfast is $3.85 for adults.

In addition to its summer school meal offerings, the district will offer mobile hotspots throughout the city that will also serve meals and snacks. Hot meals will be provided in schools and bag lunches will be offered at mobile stations. These locations include Trails West Park, Veterans Park, and Lied Scottsbluff Public Library. The Community Christian School will not offer snacks, but will offer breakfast from 8 am to 8:30 am. Access to snacks is also open to members of the community.

Tiffany Casa, Taher’s administrative assistant, said the program will return to pre-pandemic operations and rules this year.

“Therefore, we will no longer have takeaway food,” Casa said. “Participants are encouraged and required to stay on site to eat.”

The summer program will allow children in Scottsbluff to get food in their original visiting area, as well as stay in touch with their friends and district staff.

“We start on Tuesday and we’ll be in the community,” Kasha said. “It’s nice when children come to us. We miss them in the summer.”

The summer meal program has been on offer for several years, which Kashi says is important for young people.

“People are on the road most of the time in the summer,” she said. “This is a good opportunity if you are going to have lunch for your child. The arrival also builds friendships because it gives the kids a chance to socialize and eat before they continue with the summer.”

According to a County press release, “The requirements for acceptance and participation in the program are the same for everyone, regardless of race, color, national origin, gender, or disability.”

Göring Public Schools will also offer a summer meal program from May 25 to June 30.

During the week, children ages 1-18 can enjoy free breakfast and lunch at Gering High School, located at 1500 U St. Breakfast will be served from 7:30 to 8:30 and lunch from 11:00. from 30:00 to 12:30. Adults can buy food for $4.

Matt Carpenter, executive director of the Carpenter Center, said the center will once again offer a summer meal program for youth aged 18 and under. The program starts June 6th. An end date has yet to be set and will coincide with the start of the school year, Carpenter said.

“We really think it’s important in this area to be able to feed the kids with nutritious food who might miss out on school in the summer,” Carpenter said. “We can be closer to them.”

The center has been offering takeaway food for the past few years, but will resume traditional on-site food offerings.

“Families can just come,” he said, adding that food will be served from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm. “This year we are back to controlled eating, so kids will have to eat indoors. We will set up tables and chairs in the public area.”

Meals are also available for children with dietary restrictions. They can notify the caretaker or head chef and substitutions will be made if needed.

“I just hope this gives young people the opportunity to come and eat healthy food,” he said. “It’s also an opportunity for them to make new friends with that social aspect.”

The Carpenter Center nutrition program is similar to that of the school district; however they have their own chef and will have a different menu.

Both programs will publish menus online and through the Taher Food 4 Life app. This is the same app families use throughout the school year.