EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. — One school district in the Metro East has committed itself to keeping children healthy and full during summer break.
The East Louis School District 189 made meals free and accessible for all families at eight of its 10 schools through the end of July.
Students do not have to be enrolled with the district to receive a meal.
"For example, if they are a high schooler. They can still come to the preschool center to grab their lunch if that's the closest site to them or is most convenient for them," said Sydney Stigge-Kaufman, executive director of communications.
"We want to provide meals to all of our children so that they can have a healthy summer. A summer without thinking when is my next meal coming," said Carla Deboe, food service specialist.
Carla DeBoe leads food services for the district.
"I'm thinking outside the box to say how can we get the kids in to feed them nutritiously."
DeBoe helped bring in a food truck in 2023 when the district started to see summer meal participation dwindle.
"We started at once … two sites, it went over well and that brought our participation up as well. So The kids would come in and get their food from the food truck and then eat it in the cafeteria."
DeBoe laid out options for families who want the food truck experience.
"The chicken Philly with fries. And we also have a fruit with it so that it can be USDA-approved. We offer hot dogs, chicken."
"We hope that families will take advantage of it to help alleviate some of that pressure that they're experiencing during the summer," Stigge-Kaufman said.
Free breakfast and lunch are available, Monday through Friday, at these school locations:
- East St. Louis Senior High School (4901 State St.):
- Breakfast - 7-9 a.m.
- Lunch - 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
- Bush Alternative School (1516 Gross Ave.):
- Breakfast - 7-9 a.m.
- Lunch - 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
- Mason/Clark Middle School (5510 State St.):
- Breakfast - 7:30-9 a.m.
- Lunch - 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
- Avant Elementary School (1915 N. 55th St.):
- Breakfast - 8-9 a.m.
- Lunch - 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
- Officer Elementary School (558 N. 27th St.):
- Breakfast - 8-9 a.m.
- Lunch - 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
- Dr. Katie Harper Wright Elementary School (7710 State St.):
- Breakfast - 8:30-9 a.m.
- Lunch - 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
- Wyvetter Younge School of Excellence (3939 Caseyville Ave.):
- Breakfast - 8:30-9 a.m.
- Lunch - 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
- Vivian Adams Early Childhood Center (501 Katherine Dunham Place):
- Breakfast - 8:30-9 a.m.
- Lunch - 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Anyone 18 or younger can get free breakfast or lunch.