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Summer Feeding Programs Go Mobile

Mercer County Titan Grub Hub coordinators are Jessica Herwehe-Lewis, Chris Minor and Terri Potts.

Jennifer Marsh

Herald Staff

jmarsh@harrodsburgherald.com

Both Mercer Countyschool districts are expanding their summer feeding programs.

Mercer County Schools and Burgin Independent Schools have programs that offer free food for all children under the age of 18 regardless of income or school district. This year, both school systems are also offering a mobile food service.

“The biggest reason we are going mobile this summer is because 80 percent of children in Mercer County are living either below or just barely above the poverty line,” saidMercer County School’s Food Service Director Chris Minor. “Summer feeding can be a financial strain on parents and some are at work all day and are unable to drive the children to the school for the free lunches.”

Mercer County will start their mobile food service in June and will include stops at Vacation Bible Schools throughout the county.

“We want to serve as many children as possible this summer,” said Minor. “We plan to attend Picnic in the Park at Ford Harrod State Park and many area housing developments.”

Minor said he plans to bring the mobile food service to any local attraction where children are known to attend.

“This is my test run. I hope to expand the service even more next year,” said Minor. “We are calling our mobile service the Titan Grub Hub and it is a converted school bus.”

Minor said the bus will be wrapped in Titan colors by the end of June.

We are including instructional assistants to help with reading, providing books, games and prizes for the kids as well,” said Minor. “We have an excellent team working on this program. If it wasn’t for the staff I don’t think I could have pulled this off.”

Burgin Independent Food Service Director Kate Sizemore said Burgin’s summer feeding program is also going mobile in July.

“We have Burgin Academy throughout June, so most of the children we serve will already be at school,” said Sizemore. “Burgin Academy ends in June so we decided to go mobile in July.

The Burgin mobile feeding service will also include books, games and a covered table for children to come enjoy their food.

“This is our first year going mobile. We will visit five sites daily as well as still serve at the school,” said Sizemore. “I really want to stress the concept that this food service isn’t just for low-income children. It is for any child under the age of 18.”

The list of the mobile food service sites are:

Mercer County’s Titan Grub Hub will run Monday, June 3, to Friday, July 26.

  • Mondays and Wednesdays 11:35-noon at Belmont Street; 12:10-12:25 at Boone Street; 12:30-12:45 at Stoner Street; 1:00-1:25 at Harrods Creek Apartments and 1:35-2:00 at W. Broadway (First Baptist Church).
  • Tuesdays and Thursdays 11:30-11:45 at Cypress Hill Apartments; 11:50-12:25 at Mercer County Public Library; 12:35-1:00 at Ellers Memorial Baptist Church.
  • Fridays 11:30-12:30 at Old Fort Harrod Picnic In the Park; 12:40-1 at Stoner Street; 1:10-1:25 at Boone Street; 1:35-2 at Belmont Street.

Burgin’s Summer feeding will begin on Monday, June 3, and run to Friday, June 28 at the school cafeteria. Service will be Monday through Friday with Breakfast Serving Time from 8- 9 a.m. and a Lunch Serving Time of 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Starting Monday, July 1, the program will have five additional mobile sites while still serving food at the school. The sites are:

  • Murphy Springs Apartments, Murphy Lane from 11-11:20 a.m.
  • Burgin Church of God, 325 W. Court Street from 11:30-11:50 a.m.
  • 218 Daniel Lane from 12:10-12:30 p.m.
  • 196 Cane Run Camp Road from 12:55-1:15 p.m.
  • Lakeview Apartments, 1603 Kennedy Bridge Road from 1:25-1:45 p.m.

Find the rest of the story on page 1A of this week’s issue of the Harrodsburg Herald or click here to subscribe.

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