Ferndale Schools Offer Free Meals for Low-Income Children

Ferndale, MI – Children from low-income families began receiving free breakfast and lunches this week from the Ferndale school district.

According to the Daily Tribune, Ferndale is one of several school districts in the region that offers the Summer Food Service Program, which is funded by the federal Department of Agriculture.

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“It’s a way of keeping kids on a nutritious diet over the summer,” said Blake Prewitt, superintendent of Ferndale Schools. “It’s been shown that kids’ brains develop better with adequate nutrition and they are better able to learn.”

The summer food program is a continuation of the free and reduced lunch program available when school is in session. The meals are available to children 18 and younger.

“I think a large percentage of our kids in Ferndale get breakfast and lunch through the school,” Coulter said. “In the summer it’s a major concern for some families to get enough to eat. Even though the economy has improved, there are still a lot of families struggling to put on the table.”

Free meals are also offered to those up to age 26 who are enrolled in an educational program for the mentally or physically disabled that is recognized by the state or local public schools.

The free meals are currently offered at Ferndale High School, the Kulick Community Center, the Royal Oak Township Community Center and the Ferndale Early Childhood Center.

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