Photo by Kayla Camenzind Kylie Inez-Layman poses in her new cowgirl hat while eating her favorite part of the lunches, the celery and peanut butter.
their friends every day. At Raymond, sisters Joselyn, Katen, and Sidney Swogger gobbled up the corn dogs that were being served. The Swogger sisters say they eat the free lunches most days of the week. Katen’s favorite meal is chicken nuggets and Sidney loves the chicken burgers.
Down in the valley, kids at Willapa Elementary ventured to the school playground to get the lunches and play on the big toy. Kylie Inez-Layman enjoyed her favorite part of the lunches, the celery and peanut butter, while her friends played together behind her. Her friend Madison Lunde loved the corn dogs and Gaige Wetterauer likes celery and strawberries.
In South Bend, friends Alexis Delos Santos, Adelina Perez Moreno, Baleria Damargo, Yoboni Delos Santos, and Anibale Damargo sit together while they munch on apples and gummies and gulp chocolate milk. Communally, they love the corndogs, chocolate milk, apples, and oranges the most. The three also love to visit friends during the lunchtime.
The free lunches are put on by a handful of people, including Billie Haigan and Ricky Peterson, who prepare the meals each day, and Zach Haigan, Travis Webber, Jessica Rowlett, and Landon Maneman who distribute the meals to the local sites. This group ensures that each meal meets certain guidelines, providing the five food groups in each bag. The program is nationwide and is funded by Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), similar to how the free lunch program functions during the school year.