DOWAGIAC — Now that school is out of session, Dowagiac schools are still finding a way to provide for students.

Dowagiac Union Schools kicked off its summer meal program, Meet Up and Eat Up, Monday. The program, which is federally funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, offers free meals to any child 18 years of age and under or persons up to age 26 who are enrolled in an educational program for the mentally or physically disabled that is recognized by a state or local public educational agency.

This summer marks the fifth year Dowagiac has offered the program, including the mobile truck initiative, which brings the meals to popular areas throughout the city. This year, the school system has added two new stops, one at Indian Hills Apartments and one at Sister Lakes Community Church.

“This has grown from just doing one truck with five stops to doing two trucks with six stops apiece,” said Director of Food Services for Dowagiac Union Schools Debra Cahill. “I think it is great that this program has grown, and we can reach more kids and make sure they are eating a good meal.”

The meals consist of a bagged lunch that varies by day. The meals typically consist of a meat and cheese sandwich or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and a salad or a yogurt cup.

“We are always going to have enough food for anyone that wants a meal,” Cahill said. “We never want to turn someone away.”

According to the USDA, 12.3 percent of all U.S. homes were food insecure in 2016. With that statistic in mind, Cahill said it is important the Meet Up and Eat Up program operates in Dowagiac in order to ensure that children are able to know they will have a meal every day in the summertime.

“In all communities, not just Dowagiac, hunger is so huge in the summer,” she said. “Parents really realize that in the summer and wonder how they are going to make ends meet now that their child is eating at home. … It is incredibly important that we work to fill that gap between the school year.”

Cahill said she wants to get the word out about the Meet Up and Eat Up program and hopes that any child who needs it will participate in the program.

“We are here and we are working,” she said. “Come out and meet us.”

Dowagiac Middle School, 57072 Riverside Dr., Dowagiac will offer breakfast from 7:10 to 9:30 a.m. and lunch from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday until Aug. 11.

Additional Meet Up and Eat Up meals, through the mobile food trucks, will be offered at the following locations Monday through Friday until Aug. 24:

11 to 11:30 a.m. — Twin Lakes Park, Lakeshore Road, Dowagiac

11 to 11:30 a.m. —  Riverside Apartments, 550 Riverside Dr., Dowagiac

11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. — Sister Lakes Community Church, 67119 M-152, Dowagiac

11:30 a.m. to noon — Dowagiac District Library, 211 Commercial St., Dowagiac

Noon to 12:30 p.m. — Water Tower Park, Helena St., Dowagiac

12:30 to 1 p.m. — Indian Hills Apartments, 400 Cleveland St., Dowagiac

12:30 to 1 p.m. — Justus Gage Playground, 301 James St., Dowagiac

1 to 1:30 p.m. — HS Auto Shop, 701 N. Lowe St., Dowagiac

1 to 1:30 p.m. — ACTION Pantry, 301 Main St., Dowagiac

1:30 to 2 p.m. — Eagle’s Wood Apartments, 29509 Amerihost Dr., Dowagiac

1:30 to 2 p.m. — Vineyard Place Apartments, 508 Vineyard Place Dr., Dowagiac

2 to 2:30 p.m. — Walter Ward Park, 309 Thickstun, Dowagiac

There will be no program on June 22 or July 4.