Many children in Vicksburg and Warren County rely on meals they get from school to avoid going hungry, so when summer hits, things can get challenging.

There is, however, a program in place locally to make sure no children go hungry this summer. The summer feeding program put on through the Vicksburg Warren School District through a grant from the State of Mississippi helps to feed more than 200 children each day, said child nutrition field coordinator Sandy Hearn, who works directly with the summer feeding program.

“I know these kids, especially during the summertime, a lot of them don’t get lunch,” she said. “This way, we’re providing a balanced, hot meal for them. That’s 200 kids that may not have had breakfast or lunch.”

The program is for children from age 0 to 18, and the children do not have to live in Warren County.

“They could be from China and visiting,” Hearn said. “As long as they make it to the site at Vicksburg High School in the cafeteria.”

The site serves lunch and for the first time, breakfast, which is served from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Lunch is served from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The program began May 31 and will run through July 1.

“All they have to do is come in during those serving hours and they can get a balanced breakfast and lunch,” Hearn said. “They’re balanced meals.”

The meals all consist of a meat, fruit, vegetable and a choice of juice or milk, and many in the community are taking advantage of the service, Hearn said.

“Some of the breakfast is going to our athletes who are training,” she said. “They’re coming up and getting a breakfast, so they’re getting to eat before they go and start practice.”

Hearn said Vicksburg High is a good central location for the program, adding there has been participation from those coming up from City Pool, grandparents bringing in their grandchildren and even some daycare centers.