Becky Bibler, left, and Beth Baumgardner, right, get free lunches ready for children at Bixler Park in Warsaw. The meals are served at no charge five days a week and are provided by Warsaw Community Schools.

Text and Photos
By Phoebe Muthart
InkFreeNews

KOSCIUSKO COUNTY — Who said you can’t get a free lunch? Warsaw Community Schools and other communities have launched their Summer Food Service Program.

Shannon Dellinger, assistant director of WCS Food and Nutrition Services, said free meals are important for several reasons.

SFSP provides an opportunity to continue a child’s physical and social development, while providing nutritional meals during long vacation periods from school, she said.

“It helps children return to school ready to learn,” Dellinger said.

The intent of SFSP is to serve nutritious meals in areas identified as high-need during the summer months when school is not in session.

The program is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture and administered by the Indiana Department of Education.

The SFSP is operated by the USDA and is then administered by the states. The IDOE reimburses sponsors on a per-meal basis for meals served to eligible children.

“We are providing a snack as well as lunch. The program allows up to two meal types to be served daily. Adding a snack to the program this year, allows us to provide even more nutritious foods to our communities’ children,” she said.

In the summer of 2023, WCS served just over 22,650 lunches and just over 5,645 breakfast meals.

“Based on the meals we have served so far, we are looking to surpass those numbers for the 2024 summer season,” said Dellinger.

She said this year marks the 18th summer WCS has been participating in the program.

The SFSP was created to ensure that low income children would have access to nutritionally balanced meals when school is not is session. The program was created in 1968 as a three-year pilot project and was permanently authorized as an entitlement program in 1975, noted Dellinger.

Free meals will be made available to all children 18 years old and under and to persons over 18 years who are enrolled in a state-approved, educational program for the mentally or physically disabled. Free meals are provided to all children without charge.

Similar free lunch programs are in Milford, Syracuse and North Webster, too.

“While we are all participating in the same program funded by the USDA, we run separate operations,” said Dellinger.

In North Webster, meals are served from 11-11:30 a.m at the North Webster Community Center.

In Milford, meals are served from 11-11:30 a.m. at Milford Public Library.

In Syracuse, meals are served from 11 to 11:30 a.m. at Lakeside Park, and from noon to 12:30 p.m. in Enchanted Hills, Cromwell.

No meals are available during vacation week July 1-5.

Meals are provided on a first come, first served basis at the following Kosciusko County sites below:

• 11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, Winona Lake Park, and Bixler Park at Center Lake, Warsaw, until Friday, June 28 and July 8-26.

• 11:15-11:30 a.m. Monday to Friday, YMCA (by the main entrance door), Warsaw, until Friday, June 28 and July 8-26.

• Noon to 12:30 p.m. Baker Youth Club, Warsaw, enter the main door and the staff will direct you to the cafe; until Friday, June 28 and July 8-26.

• Warsaw Community High School Tiger Field, 8:35-9:10 a.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday until Thursday, June 27, and from July 15-18; from 10-10:30 a.m. breakfast is served and from 12:15 to 12:45 p.m. lunch is served.

Adults may purchase a lunch for $5.

Erika Anthony watches as her two sons, Grayson and Caleb, eat their lunches at Winona Lake Park. Free lunches are available to those under 18, who live in select areas of Kosciusko County.