Wichita public schools mark the last day of school on Wednesday, May 26 bringing an end to the free and subsidized school meals relied upon by the 34,500 children who qualify. The federal government also offers free meals for children during the summer but getting those kids to the table is much harder without daily busing and with most schools closed.

In the past, only 6 percent of children who qualify participated in the federfal summer meals program in Wichita. That low participation rate contibutes to Kansas coming in 49th in the nation in terms of percentage of kids fed in the summer.

To enure that more of the neediest kids have access to free meals this summer, the Kansas Food Bank teamed up with the Wichita Community Foundation and Wichita Public Schools. As a result, this year free summer meals will be served at 40 locations around Wichita, up from 26 sites last year.

To get the word out, each location has a 3′x8′ ft. banner placed out front, like the one shown here in front of Jackson Elementary.  And over Memorial Weekend, volunteers from seven Wichita churches will walk high-need neighborhoods, distributing information about where children may go for nearby free meals. For a full map of summer food locations and meal times in Wichita, click here. Food service begins Tuesday, June 1.