Illustration by Kendall Williams

Adriauna Barger

Editorial Assistant

As Kansas City students step away from school for the summer, many lose access to the free, reliable meals they depend on during the academic year. Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS) works to change that each year through its Summer Food Service Program, which ran from June 5 through June 27 at several school sites throughout the district.

“We feed the students that attend summer school, but also any student under the age of 18 can receive a meal,” said Chon Walters, director of Child Nutrition Services at KCPS. “We try to make it so that even though all of our sites are not open, they’re easily accessible for other people in the community to kind of get to them.”

Meals were served Monday through Friday, including breakfast and lunch, and were free of charge to anyone under 18. Registration was not required for the program. While the nutrition department runs the Summer Food Service Program each year, Walters clarified that the summer school calendar and site locations are determined by the district.

“Our department necessarily doesn’t decide that,” he said. “Our district decides when we will have summer school and what sites will have summer school, and then from there, we just see where we fit into that to make sure we support the students to the best of our abilities.”

Officer of Nutrition and Compliance Katlyn Lanoue — a registered dietitian — recently returned to KCPS, where she helps oversee menu compliance alongside two additional dietitians. 

“They both have their RD credentials,” she said. “They coordinate all of our menu planning. We offer breakfast and lunch through our SFSP program, and they coordinate to make sure we hit all of our compliance.”

When it comes to dietary needs, the program aims to be as inclusive as possible. “We have a special dietary form that we use during the normal school year,” Lanoue explained. “If we get that form from parents or families — especially when we have students enrolled in summer school — we’ll make sure that we have a menu that caters to that student’s needs.”

Religious and cultural preferences, though not officially accommodated per federal guidelines, are still considered when planning meal variety. “We have a lot of guidelines we follow, so in there, [they] don’t allow us to do it based on religious preference,” Walters said. “But we have multiple options, whether it’s meatless options, so anybody of any ethnicity or religious background, they will be able to find something that they will be able to consume and enjoy.”

One of the more challenging aspects of the program is the requirement that meals must be consumed on-site. Federal rules tied to funding prohibit parent pickup or takeaway meals in urban districts like Kansas City.

 “We try to explain — it’s not that we made that decision,” Walters said. “We use a program called DHS, and based off of their guidelines, we have to follow those. Part of their guideline is [that] the meal has to be consumed on-site.”

“For rural areas, they do have a waiver for there to be a parent pickup, but because we’re in an urban area, we can’t apply for that waiver,” Lanoue shared.

Though KCPS’s program concluded at the end of June, a number of organizations in — and around — the Historic Northeast continue to serve meals to all.

The Kansas City Community Kitchen (750 The Paseo) – operated by NourishKC – offers hot, nutritious meals from 12 to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, even on holidays and during inclement weather. Meals are served restaurant-style, creating a welcoming environment for anyone who walks through the door.

Hope Faith (705 Virginia Ave.) operates the “Hope Feeds” program. With the help of partnerships across the City, they provide two meals a day, six days a week to anyone in need. The program, which also offers nutrition education, is a vital part of the support system for many low-income and unhoused residents.

In the heart of the Independence Plaza neighborhood,  the Micah Ministry at Independence Boulevard Christian Church (606 Gladstone Ave.) serves hot, to-go meals from 5:30 to 7 p.m., every Monday night. It also provides hygiene supplies, clothing and medical services to its guests – many of whom live on the streets or transitional housing.

These organizations year-round, along with KCPS’s Summer Food Service Program, work hand-in-hand to help, and address, food insecurity within the community.

Both Lanoue and Walters said that their work goes beyond food — it’s about making sure students feel supported and cared for, even when class isn’t in session.

“Chon and I are definitely very passionate about serving our students for KCPS and the surrounding community,” Lanoue said. “We love what we do and we’re happy to support our students, and again, we love talking about our program.”

In Kansas City, the fight against hunger continues across church basements to school cafeterias, nonprofit kitchens and public shelters. Whether it’s a child lining up for a KCPS breakfast or a neighbor receiving a warm plate at a community kitchen, these programs work to remind the City that food is a basic need – and a shared responsibility. 

To find free meal services in your area, visit: https://www.findhelp.org/food/meals–kansas-city-mo.