- Utah Community Action's Summer Dinner Program feeds 100 to 120 children daily for free.
- Program requires no income proof, serving anyone 18 or younger, Monday to Friday.
- Funded by federal support, leaders stress the need for continuous congressional appropriations.
SOUTH SALT LAKE — In the kitchen of Utah Community Action's South Salt Lake center, dinner is being prepped just like any other evening.
There is steam rising, metal clinking, and plenty of people focused on preparing a dinner for more than a hundred people.
"The food is really, really good," said Stacy Weight.
However, this isn't just any dinner rush. It's to feed children for free.
"We serve anywhere from 100 to 120 right now," said Weight, who is the chief administrative officer for Utah Community Action.
It's part of the Summer Dinner Program, designed to try and make sure Utah children don't go without meals while school is out.
"The only thing you need to be to qualify is 18 years or younger," Weight explained. "There are no sort of income requirements for our program."
While many schools across Utah offer summer lunch programs, Utah Community Action saw a gap.
"We knew that maybe that wasn't enough for some of our families," Weight said.
So, every weekday around 4 p.m., kids and some of their families begin lining up at the South Salt Lake kitchen. No paperwork. No proof of need. Just a place at the table.
"We will feed anybody who shows up that's under the age of 18," Weight said.
The program is built on compassion, but it is sustained through government support.
More than 90% of Utah Community Action's funding comes from the federal Summer Food Service Program.
"We could not do what we do and provide the services to the families and communities we serve without our federal funding," Weight emphasized.
That support, however, isn't guaranteed.
Program leaders say they keep a close eye on congressional appropriations and continuously advocate for funding to keep food on the table for Utah's kids.
And it's all worth it, Weight said, when you hear the feedback from the children themselves.
"We got a comment from one of the children we were serving last week," she recalled. "He said, 'This is the best food I've ever had.'"
The Summer Dinner Program runs through the summer months, Monday through Friday.
While kids eat free, parents and guardians can join too for a small fee.
