BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The Kern High School District knows that even if school is out, kids' need for good, nutritious food never takes a break. That's why they're once again hosting free summer breakfasts and lunches for all Kern County children between the ages of 2 and 18 years of age at 21 area schools.
According to Feeding America, as many as 22 million children rely on meals provided by the public school system and lack reliable access to food during the summer break. The U.S. Department of Agriculture funds the summer meals program for children, distributing resources throughout the country with the help of community organizations like the Kern County High School District.
And it turns out proper nutrition is just as important to learning whether classes are in session or not. A report on summer hunger by No Kid Hungry reveals that poor summer nutrition strongly correlates to increased learning losses over the break.
The report also estimates that more than 80,000 additional students would make it to graduation every year if schools and communities invested more in making sure kids get all the good, nutritious food they need starting at kindergarten.
KHSD's free breakfast and lunch program starts on June 5 and runs through July 14. You can view the full list of participating sites on the KHSD website.
