Free meals available at two local schools this summer - WQOW TV: Eau Claire, WI NEWS18 News, Weather, and Sports

Eau Claire (WQOW)- School's out and summer vacation is in full swing. For some children a break from the books also means a break in steady nutrition. Lunch and breakfast, served at school, are sometimes the only solid meals these children get.

Most school kitchens close their doors during the summer months. That's not the case at Lakeshore and Longfellow elementaries in Eau Claire.

"These schools have the highest number of students eligible for free and reduced meals," explains Sue Brown, director of food and nutrition with the Eau Claire area school district.  That means both schools qualify for funding from the USDA, and that money provides free, hot meals to any child under 18, when school is not in session.

"There are kids that go without and don't have any food in their homes," continues Brown. "The school lunch and breakfast programs really fulfill a need during the school year, those programs obviously aren't in operation during the summer so this program is helping to fill that void."

And with less worry about putting food on the table, families can focus on other necessities. "They know that food is taken care of for breakfast and lunch," said Brown. "They can allocate their resources for things like clothing and rent and utilities."