Harrisburg to launch first-ever summer grab-and-go meal program at Heritage

Harrisburg School District announced a new summer food service program that will operate at Heritage beginning Friday, May 29 and continuing through Friday, Aug. 7.

A district child nutrition staff member told the board the program will be run as a grab-and-go distribution, with families picking up meals twice weekly that include breakfast and lunch covering seven days. "For the first time ever, Harrisburg will be offering a summer food service program here in the district," the staff member said during the board meeting.

Why it matters: the program makes meals available to all youth ages 18 and under in the community — not only students who attend district schools — and is intended to prevent families from encountering repeated shortages that would discourage them from using the service.

How it will work: the district selected Heritage because it qualifies as the only building in the district with the required eligibility status tied to its Head Start program. Staff described pickup as parent/guardian-driven — families will use the library door and sign up via an online (Google) form so staff can verify eligibility and anticipate demand. Most districts use an approximately 11 a.m.–1 p.m. pickup window, and staff indicated parents may designate an alternate person to pick up meals on their behalf.

Funding and capacity: staff said reimbursement rates for the summer program provide some flexibility, but the state has cautioned against operating the program 'in the red' and the district cannot use regular lunch-program funds to offset summer-program costs. The district estimated planning for roughly 400 students for the first two-to-three weeks as an initial planning assumption; staff compared the district’s planning to Yankton’s longstanding program, which serves about 500. The district repaired an inoperable walk-in cooler and is arranging modest equipment and staffing moves to run primarily cold meals, reducing on-site preparation needs.

Access and duration: the program will be open to youth from neighboring cities and towns who can drive to Heritage, including Sioux Falls and Lenox. Staff said the district can operate the program under current rules for up to five years before reassessing whether Heritage still qualifies under 100% free status and program needs.

Next steps: staff said they will continue outreach and marketing (to be paid from district funds) and finalize logistics before the May start date. The board did not take formal action on this item beyond receiving the report.

Sources: Remarks and answers to board questions from district child nutrition staff at the board meeting.