GALION — With the ending of the school year, many children are left wondering where their meals will come from on a daily basis.

Students in the city of Galion are just as affected by this reality as anywhere else.

Thankfully, once again this summer the Galion City Schools, along with the United States Department of Agriculture and the Ohio Department of Education, is sponsoring a Summer Food Service Program for children 18 and younger.

Free lunches will be provided through July 27 and will be served at six locations across the city, which is an expansion of sites from previous years.

Students in the area of Libby Lane Apartments and South Park will be served daily from 11-11:30 a.m., East Park and Galion Public Library from 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., and at Heise Park and Galion Church of the Nazarene, from 12:30-1 p.m.

To comply with state and federal regulations, all lunches must be consumed on-site and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Program menus will be posted at each site and on the Food Services web page at www.galionschools.org.

A new addition to the program this year is the Summer Lunch Bus, an old school bus that has been retrofitted to serve lunches to children on the go. The bus features several booth-style seating areas, as well as stools and an eating area for children.

The bus was made possible through a grant from the Childhood Hunger Alliance, and donations from the Ralph E. Boyd Foundation, Covert Manufacturing, Inc. in Galion, Cooper Enterprises in Shelby and Lowe’s.

The Summer Lunch Bus will serve meals at the Libby Lane, East Park and Galion Church of the Nazarene sites.

“This summer lunch program is designed to provide nutritious meals to kids during the summer months when school meals are not available.,” Galion Superintendent Jim Grubbs said. “The Galion City School District Board of Education is committed to providing meals for the summer lunch program, ensuring all meals served will follow safety and government standards for nutrition.”

No meals will be served July 4 to allow staff and volunteers to enjoy the holiday with their families. For more information, please contact Kim Pfleiderer at 419-468-6500.