DIXFIELD — School children in RSU 10 are being offered free breakfasts and lunches from July 10 to Aug. 3 at Dixfield, Sumner and Rumford schools.
RSU 10 nutrition director Jeanne Lapointe said in an email that educational studies have shown that providing meals to youngsters slows learning loss over the summer, particularly when combined with a summer enrichment program.
This is the second year of the summer meals program at Hartford-Sumner Elementary School and Rumford Elementary School. Dirigo Middle School, which has a summer enrichment program, was added this year.
Children from kindergarten to age 18 are eligible to participate. Breakfast will be served from 8 to 8:30 a.m. and lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The summer enrichment programs, known as Summer Adventure Camps for grades one to five at Rumford school and grades six to eight at Dirigo begin the week of July 10 and go for four weeks.
The elementary program runs from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and costs $15 a day. The middle school program runs from 8 a.m. until noon and costs $10 per day.
For more information or to register, contact Barb Radmore, director of Western Foothills Kids Association, at 357-6987.
Some scholarships for children age 5-13 are available through the River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition at rvhcc@gwi.net or at the organization’s office at 94 River St. in Rumford.
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