East Texas

By PATRICK BUTLER
Religion Editor

The East Texas Food Bank will kick off its Summer Food Service Program on Monday at 31 sites. The program provides children in low-income areas with an opportunity to get nutritious meals at no cost.

USDA Under Secretary Nancy Johner and Agricultural Commissioner Todd Staples will help the food bank kick off the program at a press conference at 11:30 a.m. at Cole Park, 1001 Vine St. Following their remarks, Ms. Johner and Staples with serve children meals at the park, said Karolyn Davis of the food bank.

“The summers are critical because one in four kids in Texas are at risk of hunger,” said Robert Bush, executive director of the East Texas Food Bank. “We’re finding that even mild malnutrition has a negative effect over the course of a summer, and there are a host of health issues, such as stunted growth, that accompanies it.”

School-feeding programs are closed at the end of the school year, he said.

“The Summer Food Service Program helps fill that gap,” he said.

The program is free to “children 18 and younger,” said Bush. The Food Bank is working in cooperation with the city of Tyler Parks and Recreation Department

“There are 15 feeding sites at city parks,” Bush said. “There will not only be nutritious meals available, but structured activities like arts and crafts and information from the food bank how kids can eat smart and play hard.”

Feeding sites at parks located in Tyler include the Winter’s Park, Andrews Park, City Park, Cole Park, Fun Forest Park and Lincoln Park.

Other Tyler locations include the YMCA, Tyler First United Methodist Church, Pinecreek Apartments, North Tenaha Gym, Orr Elementary School, the Gentry Parkway Youth Center, the Grand Manor Apartments and the Boys and Girls Clubs of East Texas.

East Texas locations include Arp Park in Arp, Kiwanis Park and the West Hyland Apartments in Athens, Oakgrove Baptist Church and Victory Baptist Church in Atlanta, Bennett Chapel in Center and the Solid Rock Church in Gladewater.

Feeding sites can also be found at the Hallsville Primary School, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Rusk County in Henderson and Boys and Girls Clubs of Marshall, Our Lady of Sorrows in Jacksonville and the Pine Tree Cafeteria in Longview. Mineola Primary and Elementary schools and East Chapel of Mineola also host the program.

Bush said, “There is free transportation available if children cannot reach one of these sites. Just call 211 or the United Way and help is available. We want to reduce every obstacle for children to get a healthy meal.”

For more information. call East Texas Food Bank at 903-596-3663 or visit the Web at www.easttexasfoodbank.org for a list of times and locations.