Atchison schools promote free summer meals, family resources hub

Atchison Public Schools is steering families to two summer supports that could ease household budgets fast: free meals for children at Atchison Middle School and a district family-resources page that gathers help for food, housing, health and other needs.

The meal site will serve free breakfast and lunch to children ages 1 through 18 in June and July. Breakfast will run from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., and lunch will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Monday through Thursday. The district says the meals must be eaten on site, and adults may buy breakfast for $2.85 and lunch for $5.

The program matters because the school calendar shifts the burden onto families as soon as class ends. Atchison Public Schools’ calendar shows the last day of school was May 18, giving parents and caregivers a long stretch without the weekday meal routines children rely on during the academic year. Families with questions can contact Sharla Oertel, the district’s nutrition-services director.

The meal site also fits the federal summer-meals model, which offers free on-site meals for children 18 and under without an application. Kansas education officials say SUN Meals are available for children ages 1 through 18 at schools, parks, libraries and other community sites. USDA’s Summer Meals Site Finder can help families locate nearby sites, hours and contact information, and USDA says Summer EBT can provide $120 in grocery benefits per eligible child in many states.

Atchison Public Schools is pairing the meal site with a broader Family Resources page for families in need of food, housing, health or other assistance. That hub points to support for mental health, suicide prevention, McKinney-Vento services and Dolly Parton Imagination Library, putting several common needs in one place for parents trying to navigate summer on a tighter budget.

The district’s outreach lands in a county where childhood hunger remains a significant concern, according to Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap data. For Atchison County families, the summer meal site at Atchison Middle School offers more than a free breakfast or lunch. It gives the community a predictable place to turn when school is out and the costs of summer start to pile up.