By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

ALABASTER – The Alabaster City School System will continue its free summer food program for area kids this summer, and will see a change in one of its school-based locations compared to previous years.

The ACS Child Nutrition Department recently released the details for its 2019 summer program, which is free for Alabaster kids and teens younger than 18, and is low-cost for those older than 18.

“For many kids, summertime means food, friends and fun. For families who count on school breakfast and lunch, however, the summer months can be stressful and family food budgets have to be stretched even further,” said ACS CNP Director Heather McDermott. “Free summer meals, funded by the USDA, are available to kids and teens ages 18 and younger in Alabaster.”

The program will be held each weekday from June 3 to July 19, except for July 4 and July 5 in observance of the Independence Day holiday. Serving times will vary by site, and details for each site are available on Acsboe.org or by calling 663-8400.

For those older than 18, breakfast will be available each weekday for $2, and lunch will be available for $4 at Meadow View Elementary School and Thompson High School.

All food served during the program is healthy and follows USDA nutrition guidelines, McDermott said.

No applications or proof of income are needed to participate in the food program, but children younger than 12 should be accompanied by a responsible caregiver.

This year will see a change in location compared to previous years, as the CNP department typically holds the program at Thompson Intermediate School. This year, the TIS site will move to the new THS on Warrior Parkway.

The summer food program will be offered at the following sites:

-MVES – Breakfast from 7:30-8:30 a.m., and lunch from 11:30-12:30 p.m.

-THS – Breakfast from 7:30-8:30 a.m., and lunch from 11:30-12:30 p.m.

-Mt. Olive Baptist Church

-Alabaster YMCA

-First Presbyterian Church of Alabaster

-Buck Creek Park