By David Fleet
Editor
Brandon Twp.- It’s summer and there’s plenty of hungry kids.

The ‘Meet Up and Eat Up’ summer food service program is returning after a one-year hiatus and so far it’s two forks up from participants. From 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Monday-Friday through Aug. 24 a free lunch will be served at the Sashabaw Meadows Community Center, 4359 Dogwood Blvd.
“The purpose of the program is to have lunch available for children at no charge during the summer when school lunch is not available,” said Suzanne Evenson, Brandon Schools district food services director. “This first days we had about 40 youth come in for lunch. We expect that number to reach more than 100 before the summer is over.”
The federally funded summer food service program is available to all children under the age of 18, regardless of family income, and persons up to age 26 who are enrolled in an educational program for the mentally or physically disabled that is recognized by a state or local public education agency.
The program is designed to ensure all children receive nutritious meals during the summer, when the free or reduced price meals offered during the school year are not available.
The meals include protein, grains, fruit, vegetables and dairy—however, Little Ceasars Pizza remains the top menu item among the youth, said Monica Genslak from the Brandon Food Services who was serving lunch on Wednesday.
“The current estimate is about 400 Brandon students live in the Sashabaw Meadows area,” said Genslak. “Plus the siblings that don’t attend school yet. As the word gets out the numbers will jump.”