CLEARFIELD - The Salvation Army in Clearfield is working to make sure kids have full stomachs and sharp brains this summer.
The new mobile feeding program, "Lunch & Literacy," kicks off June 13th.
The program was started by Helen Johnson, captain of the Salvation Army in Clearfield. She and her husband come from Rhode Island, where they started and ran the program for five years.
"The first year they were having a summer food lunch program site, but hardly any kids were coming because it's up on the hill and no one could make it up here," Johnson said. "So I said, let's do what we did in Rhode Island. Let's go to the kids."
The fully equipped canteen feeding truck will serve healthy lunches to kids 18 and under Monday through Friday at noon.
The truck will go to the Edgewood Housing Complex in Hyde.
While the kids are gathered around eating, volunteers will read to and do learning activities with the kids.
"When the big truck comes rolling around the corner they think it's like the ice cream truck," Johnson said. "It's healthy food but they're still excited, to have both a nice lunch and sit down and eat but also to have someone who cares about them reading them a story."
The program was made possible through a $5,000 grant from Coca-Cola.
If Lunch & Literacy proves to be successful, the truck will travel to other locations and parks in Clearfield.
"We get to know their families, we know where they are coming from, their income levels and we know that during the summer it is going to be very hard for them," Johnson said.
Johnson said they are still looking for volunteers to make lunches or read.
They are also accepting donations of new and gently-used books to be given to children in grades K-12.
If you can help, please contact the Salvation Army at 814-765-4981.
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