City and county school districts are providing area children with breakfast and lunch during the summer months through the federally funded School Break Food Service Program.

And more children are taking advantage of the opportunity.

At designated sites in Bowling Green, Kim Simpson, food service coordinator for city schools, said they serve anywhere from 800 to 1,000 meals a day. Kelly Holt, food service supervisor for Warren County Schools, said they are serving about 1,000 or more kids a day at its three designated sites.

“And I believe that number will go up over the summer,” he said. “Some are just not aware of (the program) yet ... this way they not only get a nutritious breakfast and lunch but they get it for free. So it is a win-win for everybody.”

The meals are offered to anyone 19 years old and younger.

The free meals will be provided until July 25.

In addition to lunch, Simpson said the system serves breakfast, some snacks and sometimes dinner. All meals are prepared at Parker-Bennett-Curry Elementary School and taken to the other sites. Meals served through Warren County Schools are prepared at those sites.

Although each site throughout the city serves lunch every day, times differ. Simpson said it is best to call each site to find out what time lunch is served. Parker-Bennett-Curry Elementary, she said, is the only school that has lunch consistently from 11 a.m. to noon daily.

In the three Warren County sites, breakfast starts at 8 a.m. and lunch is from 11 a.m. to noon each day, Holt said.

Simpson said the state works with the school district to qualify as many sites as possible. She said kids who are hungry during the school year are going to be hungry in the summer.

“We try to meet the needs of our children,” she said.

In addition to both school districts offering a summer food program, Community Action of Southern Kentucky - a nonprofit organization - also offers the program to area children.

“We are really fortunate here in Bowling Green. A lot of areas don’t have this coverage,” Simpson said. “We just try to feed as many kids as we can.”

Summer Food Program Sites

Bowling Green Parks & Recreation

Warren County Parks & Recreation - Delafield Center

Boys & Girls Club

Parker-Bennett-Curry Elementary School

Housing Authority - Learning Center

Warren Elementary School

Natcher Elementary School

Lost River Elementary School