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Increase Food Access for Our Community

This year our goal is to have a 10 percent increase in the amount of meals we serve in the Flathead Valley

By Johnny Pena

Summer seems a little far away but it will be here quick. For many kids, summer vacation is a much-deserved reward for a year of hard work in the classroom. However, for some who rely on free and reduced-price school meals, the summer months can be difficult. One out of five students in the Flathead Valley are food insecure, which means they don’t know where their next meal is coming from. When school is out, these kids no longer have access to school meals and their families’ budgets are often stretched to the breaking point. In fact, studies show that kids are at a higher risk for both obesity and hunger during the summer months. Many families also face the stress of providing safe, supervised and affordable places for kids and teens to socialize, play and continue to learn.

The Kalispell Public Schools – Food Service took initiative to provide free breakfast and lunch for anyone who is 18 and younger since the summer of 2013. In the summer of 2017 we provided 2,990 breakfasts and 7,741 lunches. This year our goal is to have a 10 percent increase in the amount of meals we serve in the Flathead Valley. We want to invite you to join our goal to increase food access for our community. With your partnership and investment toward our food truck with KPS – Food Service we will be able to achieve this goal. Having a food truck will give us the ability to be mobile and reach families who have transportation as a barrier. Our goal is to raise $15,000 and this would be used to purchase a food truck. Any help you give us will help us reach our goal. Thank you in advance for your generosity.

Johnny Pena
Kalispell