FREE SUMMER MEALS FOR KIDS

All kids and teens (ages 0-18) can eat for free this summer at hundreds of host sites throughout Southern Vermont.  The Food and Nutrition Service, an agency of the US Department of Agriculture, administers the program at the federal level.  The Vermont Agency of Education administers the program in the state, partnering directly with local school districts and others to provide the free meals, for which no registration or paperwork is required.

Here in Wilmington, the Community Garden has been fortunate in meeting Chef Tom, who prepares breakfast and lunch for over 50 children on weekdays.  The Chef visited to see how he might use any produce grown in the donation garden in his meals.  While there, he harvested some fresh oregano to incorporate into the rice and lentil salad he was preparing for lunch that day.  The garden also offered the chef the service of its composting system for kitchen scraps, and a 5 gallon bucket of scraps was received, saving them from the landfill.

While we can never grow enough for the program to depend on on a daily basis, we're happy that Chef Tom knows he can supplement his menus with fresh herbs and produce in season, and responsibly manage kitchen waste by composting at the garden.  And it is good to know that area kids are receiving nutritious food during the summer, thanks to his preparation of balanced meals using locally sourced ingredients.