*Otsego, Mich. — When school doors close for the summer, so does the free meal line for many children in Otsego. That is why Otsego Public Schools is preparing for what officials are calling their busiest summer yet, launching a free meal program at four local mobile home parks starting June 8*.
The district will provide seven free breakfasts and lunches each week to any child 18 years or younger through July 27. The meals will be served at Gun River East and Gun River West in Plainwell, Lombardini Trailer Park in Plainwell, and Watson Trailer Park in Otsego.
Rising grocery prices fuel hunger
The push for expanded summer meals comes as grocery costs continue to climb across West Michigan. Families are feeling the strain, and food insecurity is becoming more visible in everyday life.
"When you're in the grocery store and you look at people in the checkout line, everybody is holding their breath waiting for the total," said Julie Guthrie, Otsego's food service coordinator. "I think this is just a great way to reach out to the families and let them know that we still care, we still want to do what's right by their kids."
Guthrie has been a leading voice in ensuring students do not go without during the summer break. For many children in the area, school is their only reliable source of a hot meal.
Loaves & Fishes budgeting $2 million for food
The need extends beyond the school district. Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes, the region's primary food bank, is preparing for a surge in demand this summer.
The organization has budgeted $2 million for food purchases this year, up from $1.8 million last year. That increase reflects a growing number of residents turning to pantries for the first time.
"We'll definitely need extra hands," said Jillian Bryant, Loaves & Fishes' Volunteer Coordinator. "We'll need more groups to handle all the donations that are coming in. We need more groups to prep boxes for home deliveries and sort through all the produce that we are generously getting donated, but also to respond to the numbers that we are seeing that increasing in our pantries."
The food bank is staggering its staff schedule and actively recruiting volunteers to manage the incoming donations and serve the rising number of pantry visitors.
More than just meals
Otsego Public Schools is also continuing other summer programs to keep families engaged during the break. The district's Bulldog Bookin' Bus, a free mobile library, will continue its route. The Summer Fun Series, a weekly community engagement initiative, will also run through the summer.
The state's Meet Up and Eat Up program, which funds the summer meal sites, is designed to close the gap between the end of the school year and the start of the next one. Districts across Michigan participate, and Otsego's four mobile home park locations target areas where families are most likely to face food insecurity.
Residents interested in volunteering with Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes can find information on the organization's website. Families looking for meal locations can access the full state schedule through the Michigan Department of Education's program page.