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They come into the Almatha Clark Taylor Health Clinic two or three at a time. Little boys and girls show up with their mother to get a free lunch.
Ana Marie Montemayor works at the clinic and describes the scene.
“It’s like Christmas to them pretty much, because when the lunches arrive and they open the package their faces just like up. And so they really, really enjoy the meals.”
The program is called Feeding our Future. The county has delivered food to the needy for many years, but this is the first year it’s been available at the clinic. Cindy Zofsak is in charge of the food catering.
“Anyone in the community, healthy sick or not, they can come here and get a free meal. It’s open to all children.”
Since the lunches are available to all children in the community, you don’t have to prove income level. I asked Montemayor how they know which families need food and which are just out to get something free.
“A lot of them do need it. We definitely can tell who is in need. Maybe it just helpful as far as, its saves the mom or father from having to make that lunch. They can just come over here and get a sack lunch and you know they can just spend more time on another meal.”
The 12 week summer program started in June with 100 lunches per day. That number has now grown to 250.