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Report shows fewer summer meal program sites available

There were fewer sites serving summer meals to children last year, according to a new report.

The Food Research and Action Center report looked at the number of meals served in the summer food service program, as well as the number of sites participating in it. In 2012, there were 225 sites offering summer meals. That dropped to 160 last summer.

James Goddard, Director of Nebraska Appleseed’s Economic Justice Program, says that's concerning.

"It means more kids in our state that are low-income are going to struggle to find nutritious food during the summer, whereas during the school year they might be able to get breakfast or lunch at school. So fewer sites mean fewer meals for kids during the summer, which is concerning."

Goddard says more funding is needed for summer meal programs, along with promotion.

The FRAC report also found that more than 601,000 summer meals were served in 2013 in Nebraska. That’s up from 598,000 in 2012.