More than 20,000 meals were served to children and disabled adults over the summer as part of the Summer Food Service Program provided by the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury’s Human Services Department.

Juana Felton, the department’s operations manager, told police jurors on Thursday that 11,898 lunches and 8,351 breakfasts were served June 3-July 26. The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the state Education Department allocated the money.

Felton said the meals were provided at eight locations in the parish’s outlying areas. The program was available for children up to 18 years old and people over 18 who have mental or physical disabilities.

Tarek Polite, human services director, told the American Press in March that more than 19,000 children could qualify for the program because they participate in the free and reduced-price lunch program.

Felton said the summer program employed 43 low-income adult workers and 10 student workers. She said there was a back-to-school bash where students were given school supplies.

During the Police Jury meeting, police jurors and Polite presented a certificate to Patricia Hosemann, the School Board’s director of food services, for helping organize the effort.

The schools that participated in the food program were DeQuincy Primary, J.I. Watson Elementary, Gillis Elementary, Starks High, E.K. Key Elementary, W.T. Henning Elementary, Vinton Middle and Western Heights Elementary.

The program’s estimated cost of $300,000 will be reimbursed by the federal government.

Partnering with the parish on the program were the Calcasieu School Board, the cities of Lake Charles, and Sulphur, and other entities like Iowa, DeQuincy, Vinton and Westlake.

Online: www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/summer.

(American Press Archives)

Donna Price