Crane, Yuma Dist. 1 to offer summer food programs

Crane and Yuma District 1 will offer summer food programs.

District 1 will kick off its summer food program from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 Tuesday at the cafeteria of OC Johnson Elementary, 1201 W. 12th St. The event is free for all children 18 and younger. Parents are welcome to attend.

Adult lunches will cost $2.50 through the summer, and adult breakfasts will be $1.50.

Over 29,000 children in Yuma County receive free or reduced-price meals during the regular school year, but many of these children do not get enough to eat when school gets out, said Lisa Thrower, the nutrition director at District 1. The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) ensures that all children continue to grow and learn during the summer by making food readily available.

At Tuesday’s event, raffle tickets will be given to each student who eats lunch that day. The drawing for the prizes will be at 12:20 p.m., Thrower said. There will also be free face painting, balloon animals and music provided … and freshbaked chocolate chip cookies for the first 300 people through the door.

District 1 will have five sites open through the summer, Thrower said, through July 14. During the program’s Fridays, there will be free face painting and balloon animals. The program will close for the July 4 holiday and reopen the next day.

At Crane, the district is expanding its program to more sites and longer serving times, said Michael J. Clark, director of student nutrition.

“We have found that younger children are more likely to show up to get a meal if it is at a location that they are already familiar with,” Clark said.

Crane has partnered with the Yuma County Health and Human Services Department to have activities that are intended to provide a safe and cool place for kids to play constructively and socialize, Clark said.

Crane’s program will run through July 21. Crane schools are back in session on Aug. 1.

“We can’t solve all of the world’s problems, but we can make a difference here in Yuma with at least this problem,” Clark said. “Nobody wants a child to be hungry.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF TIM CHAULK Two vehicles involved in a collision late Friday afternoon at 24th Street and Avenue B rest at the intersection as traffic backs up. Rescue personnel transport some of those injured in the collision (below) to an emergency vehicle. No other information...