Enumclaw and White River will distribute food weekly throughout the summer

Published 9:30 am Friday, July 9, 2021

As part of their annual attempt to assure youngsters do not go hungry during the summer months, both the Enumclaw and White River school districts have resumed their summer food programs.

The practice has become routine for the districts, which are not obligated to offer meals during the summer but choose to do so. The effort is supported financially through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

For the second year, the programs have a decidedly different look. Until 2019, the Enumclaw district distributed meals at the public library and White River operated out of the Buckley Youth Center. In both communities, the meals were to be eaten on-site. Due to the pandemic, things changed last summer to a grab-and-go program that continues this summer.

In Enumclaw, meals are being distributed at three sites – Enumclaw High School, Byron Kibler Elementary School and Black Diamond Elementary – between 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Each weekday, children will receive two meals, one lunch and one breakfast.

The program will run through Aug. 20, with distributions each weekday.

White River is also continuing the grab-and-go format and will continue each weekday until Sept. 1. The district will provide both breakfast and lunch (at the same stop) at three sites: from 11 to 11:30 a.m. at Glacier Middle School, noon to 1 p.m. at the Buckley Youth Center and noon to 12:30 p.m. at Foothills Elementary.

In both districts the summer meals are free, there is no enrollment and they are made available to everyone 18 and younger.