For the month of June children can eat free at Brookhaven elementary and middle schools.

The Department of Child Nutrition within the Brookhaven School District is behind the Summer Food Program. From June 1 to June 26 all children 18 and younger can receive free breakfast and lunch.

During weekdays, breakfast is served from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m.  at Mamie Martin Elementary School at 420 Vivian Merritt St. and Lipsey Middle School at 412 Drury Lane. Lunch is served from 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. at Mamie Martin Elementary School, Lipsey School and Fanny Mullins School at 717 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.

Child Nutrition Director Tonya McSweyn has worked for the district for 16 years and said the food program has been in place since before she started.

She said the program provides parents who have to work and children who are at home with older siblings the chance to get healthy meals throughout the day.

“It also gives younger kids the opportunity to experience eating in a cafeteria before they become school-age,” McSweyn said.

McSweyn said the program gets much use from enrichment camps and city-sponsored summer programs for children. She said such a program is part of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program, which provides academic enrichment opportunities for children throughout the school year and the month of June.

Also taking advantage of the free healthy meals is the summer camp run by the Brookhaven Recreation Department. Valeria Moore, program supervisor for the recreation department and director of the summer program, said the program attendees have been fed through the food program since its start around five years ago.

“The food program is a plus for us,” Moore said.

The summer program, which Moore said is about being active instead of inside all day, really benefits from the food program, especially when taking into consideration the belief that breakfast is the most important part of the day.

“I just wish more people took advantage of it,” Lipsey Middle School Cafeteria Manager Michelle Richardson said. “[The food program] is a wonderful thing. You’d be surprised how many children don’t get something to eat throughout the day or this is their only meal.”

Richardson said this is her third year being involved with the food program and that it’s very rewarding.

“It’s always rewarding when you see kids eat,” she said.