Summer meal program helping feed kids in Bibb County

Happy Helpings, Georgia’s summer food service program, partnered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide free meals to kids during the summer months.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Even though Bibb County students are out of school for the summer, they can still get a free meal at the Boys and Girls Club of Central Georgia. It’s all thanks to ‘Happy Helpings‘, Georgia’s summer food service program.

Happy Helpings, with the help of funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), provides free meals to kids during the summer months. Joann Kilpatrick, the Nutrition Compliance Administrator for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Georgia, says this is crucial because being away from school can often mean less access to meals for students.

“We started at the beginning of June and we have served over 8500 meals,” Kilpatrick said. “Some of the children have that food insecurity. So we want to make sure that not only the children in our clubs but the community have those nutritious meals available to them.”

Shavana Howard is the Senior Adviser for the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service program. She says the USDA has added programs including more grab-and-go options that have increased access to nutrition over the summer.

“This allows for those kids who are typically on free and reduced priced meals to continue to have healthy, nutritious meals throughout the summer months so that they can continue to do all of the things that they enjoy doing,” Howard said. “Like playing with their friends, riding bikes, you know, just enjoying the summer months.”

In addition to the meals, the kick-off event included games like hopscotch and jump rope. Children and teen were allowed to taste test local fruits and vegetable as well.