Boise, ID - If your family struggles with food insecurity, going to school means at least you’ll get lunch. But the summer is a different story. That’s where The Idaho food bank comes in with its picnics for Boise kids. Boise State Public Radio’s Adam Cotterell takes us to one.
Kids crowd around an Idaho food bank truck in the courtyard of an apartment complex in Boise. Most of them are refugees from Somalia. 7 year old Mutu and his brother open turkey sandwiches.
Mutu “And apples, there’s also some oranges and some white milk and some chocolate milk.
Adam Cotterell “If you didn’t come here today what would you have for lunch.”
Mutu “Beans rice.”
Adam Cotterell “Is this better than beans and rice, cause beans and rice sounds pretty good.”
Mutu “This is good food for you, with the apples and the oranges. And the milk. And it keeps you strong from getting sick.”
Mutu says he doesn’t get much fruit at home but his family doesn’t go hungry. He says some of his friends do. College student Brandon Lapoo hands out free meals as part of the Idaho’s food bank’s picnic in the park program.
Adam Cotterell “ What happens if there’s no Food Bank truck that comes? What then?
Brandon Lapoo “I think kids will miss meals.”
Idaho kids do miss meals. In fact almost 67 thousand aren’t sure where their next meal will come from. That’s why the Idaho food bank brings lunch to several locations each weekday all summer.