There are approximately 30,000 children in the Wichita metro area who are considered "food insecure" which means they don't have access to nutritious meals. The City of Wichita Housing and Community Services Department is working to reduce that number through the Cities Combating Child Hunger through After School and Summer Meal Programs (CHAMPS) initiative. This is the second year of the program which now offers additional meal sites.
The Housing and Community Services Department began serving summer lunches at four different locations on June 4. They include:
Grace Revolution (812 S. Oliver) serves meals from 11:30 a.m. until 12:45 p.m., Monday through Friday;
Restored Community Church (255 S. Estelle) serves meals from 11 a.m. until noon, Monday through Friday;
Mending Place (1513 E. Galena) serves meals from noon until 1 p.m., Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; and
Windridge apartments (2502 W. Wildwood) serves meals from 11 a.m. until noon, Monday through Friday.
"With child hunger being such a concern in the Wichita area, the department is pleased to help increase the number of meals served to the youth in our community." said Ryan Tyree, a Family Development Specialist. "We have served 741 children so far this summer but we would like to increase that number."
Children, ages 18 and under, can visit the meal sites through the end of July. No questions asked.
The state of Kansas presently ranks 40th in meeting child hunger needs during the summer months.
For more information on the CHAMPS initiative, please visit www.wichita.gov/sayyes
