DALTON, Ga. — Before Tiffany Malone’s blue pickup truck is seen by the children and parents gathered in a cul-de-sac of the Mountain View subdivision in Varnell, the loud honking of the truck’s horn is heard.

It’s an indication that Malone, a nutrition worker at Coahulla Creek High School, is soon to arrive with coolers full of lunches as part of the Summer Nutrition Program. The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and seeks to make sure that children from low-income circumstances receive nutritious meals in the summer when school is not in session.

Through July 27, including the Fourth of July, children 18 and under can receive the free meals at various sites throughout Whitfield County.

Meals are served Monday through Friday between 11:15 a.m. and 12:40 p.m., depending on the site. For exact serving times and locations, contact Eastside Elementary School at (706) 278-3074, North Whitfield Middle School at (706) 259-3381 or the Northwest Georgia College and Career Academy at (706) 876-3600. Information is also available at www.wcsga.net — click on “Departments,” then “School Nutrition,” then look for the link to the “Summer Nutrition” page. There is no registration or fee for the program.

In the city of Dalton, meals are served Monday through Friday through July 20 beginning at 11:30 a.m. or noon, depending on locations, with the exception of July 4. Saturdays are from noon to 12:30 p.m. at limited locations. For more information, call Cara Tobler, Dalton Public Schools nutrition director, at (706) 280-3178.

Summer Nutrition Program underway again this year at multiple sites

Isabel Rios, 22, lives in the Mountain View subdivision. She brought her daughter and a neighbor’s children to get meals.

“I think the program is great because it gives kids a good meal,” she said.

Rios said it’s also a good opportunity for kids to get out of the house and interact with each other.

“They play with each other while waiting for their food, then they eat together,” she said.

Annette Palmer, an operation specialist of nutrition for Whitfield County Schools, said she started with the program when it came to Whitfield County 14 years ago.

“I wanted to make sure kids didn’t miss meals during the summer,” she said. “We have a lot of kids home alone or parents are not able to afford adequate meals.”

Palmer said the program feeds all children, not just those who are from low-income circumstances.

“We serve low-income students and up,” she said. “They can go to one of the (locations) or school sites to eat.”

For Whitfield County those school sites are Eastside Elementary, North Whitfield Middle and the Northwest Georgia College and Career Academy.

Palmer said all sites must follow the guidelines put in place by the USDA.

“Children can choose between three items, one of those most be a fruit or vegetable,” she said. “We also have an entree, milk and grain.”

Palmer said at first she didn’t think the program would work.

“I thought this is crazy, people are not going to send their kids to eat on the streets from people they don’t know,” she said.

But by the end of the first week they had served 2,000 meals at one school.

“I learned real quick,” she said. “Every year it gains and grows, it’s really a good program. There are some areas where kids really need it more than others but we provide for all children.”

She said parents’ feedback has been great.

“They love it because it really helps them out,” she said. “Sometimes they have to decide between paying the power bill or feeding their children.”

Palmer said under the guidelines anything taken back to the school where meals are prepared has to be thrown away.

“After it’s been out for two to three hours we can’t serve it,” she said. “We try to make sure kids are fed and if they want an extra meal, we give it to them.”

Estella Avila, 15, a student at Coahulla Creek High School, said it’s a beneficial program.

“It’s really good, especially for people who don’t have meals or having a rough time getting food,” she said.

Malone said she and Brittany Young served 174 meals on Wednesday between two sites.

“This is my first time working with the summer program,” Malone said. “I love feeding the kids and meeting new people.”

Young works with the nutrition program at New Hope Middle School. She said she appreciates the summer program, too.

“There are unfortunately some kids who don’t get meals in the summer,” she said. “I wanted to make sure kids got fed.”