LAPLACE — All three of the River Parishes are providing free meals to parish youth throughout the summer as part of the Summer Food Service Program.

The program was created by the U.S. Department of Education to ensure children in lower-income areas could continue to receive healthy meals during the summer.

Starting next week, breakfast and lunch will be available at various sites in the River Region.

In St. John the Baptist Parish, meals will be available to children on the East and West Banks. Parish President Natalie Robottom said at Tuesday’s Council meeting the program is “an opportunity to provide children nutritious meals throughout the summer.”

Children who are eligible for enrollment in public and private schools in St. John Parish may participate in the program, and children enrolled in parish camps are automatically eligible for free meals provided at the summer feeding sites.

Heath and Human Services Director Rhonda Lemons said the meals will be served for six weeks starting Wednesday. Meals will be served Monday through Thursday.

Breakfast will be served from 7:30 – 8:30 a.m. at East St. John Elementary School, located at 400 Ory Drive in LaPlace.

Lunch in St. John Parish will be available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and sites include East St. John Elementary School, Garyville/Mt. Airy Math and Science School, located at 240 Louisiana 54 in Mt. Airy; West St. John High School, located at 480 Louisiana 3127 in Edgard and LaPlace Elementary School, located at 393 Greenwood Drive in LaPlace.

For more information on meals in St. John Parish, call 985-536-4955.

Organizers in St. James Parish announced open sites for free breakfast and lunch
Monday through Thursday include Fifth Ward Elementary, located at 8184 Villavaso Street in St. James; Sixth Ward Elementary, located at 3245 Valcour Aime in Vacherie; Vacherie Elementary, located at 13440 Louisiana 644 in Vacherie and Lutcher Elementary, located at 1910 W. Main St. in Lutcher.

Breakfast will be served from 7:15 – 8:15 a.m. and lunch will be offered from 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at the Fifth Ward, Sixth Ward and the Lutcher site. Vacherie Elementary will distribute breakfast from 7:15 — 8 a.m. and lunch from 11 a.m. — noon.

St. James Parish meals will begin being distributed Monday, and every site except Fifth Ward will distribute meals until June 30. Fifth Ward will serve meals until July 9.

For more information, call St. James Parish’s Child Nutrition Department at 225-258-4561.

In St. Charles Parish, meals will be offered starting Monday and ending July 9.

Lunch will be served Monday through Thursday each week from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at St. Rose Elementary School, 230 Pirate Drive; Luling Elementary School, 904 Sugarhouse Road in Luling; Luling Elementary School in Luling and E.J. Landry Alternative School, 108 Tiger Circle in Hahnville.

Bus pickups are available, and for more information call St. Charles Parish Department of Community Services at 985-764-7944.