When school is in session, more than 56,000 South Dakota children receive free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program, but during the Summer that number drops to around 10,000.
Middle school student Tayton Barton helps out The Club for Boys in Rapid City with its summer meals program.
"I like serving for others," Barton said.
Along with washing dishes and serving food to his peers, Tayton is a recipient of free meals at the club.
Executive Scott Bader says his organization serves breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack to around 300 kids every day, all summer long.
"There are a lot of kids in our community that just don't get enough to eat Monday through Friday, and one of the things we're able to do with this summer food program is to see that they not only eat, but they do get a healthy meal, a healthy nutritious meal," Bader said.
The Club for Boys is not alone in the effort to feed kids. The YMCA, Girls Inc., and St. Isaac Jogues Church have similar meals programs, but Bader says there are still children going hungry in Rapid City.
"It is our hope that all the different agencies that are providing free meals during the summer to kids are able to hit all of the children, but the reality is we're just not," Bader said.
The need to feed is one reason why the Summer Food Service Program is growing throughout different organizations in the Black Hills.
"There's a greater need than just boys club kids for free meals," Bader said. "So we expanded the program with the help of the government, so that we're able to offer free meals to both boys and girls all summer long."
Last year 36 agencies at 70 different sites across South Dakota served more than 320,000 meals through the Summer Food Service Program.
