The summer is rapidly approaching. Parents, grandparents and other caregivers for children may be wondering how to stretch their grocery budget this summer with the kids at home.

The Franklin County Schools can help stretch your food budget this summer by offering the summer breakfast and lunch program to all children 18 and under free of charge.

“This is a great program,” lunchroom employee  Joyce Malone said. “We will serve breakfast and lunch to everyone 18 and under at no cost.”

The lunch program is a federally funded program through the Summer Food Service Program.

Franklin County Child Nutrition Program Coordinator Carol Humphries said the program will be offered at Tharptown, Red Bay and Phil Campbell in addition to Russellville.

“It’s important for everyone who is eligible to take advantage of this program,” Malone said. “If we don’t have participation with the program, then we risk losing it next year, and we can’t afford that.”

The program will offer breakfast Monday through Friday from 7:30 to 9 a.m. and lunch from 10:45 a.m. to noon.

“All meals are served to all children at no charge,” Humphries said. “You do not have to attend these schools in order to be served. The only requirement is that you must be 18 or under.”

Humphries said the cafeterias will not be able to accept cash this summer so adult cannot purchase a meal to eat with the children.

Malone said each lunch meal will include five items, and the breakfast will include three to four times each day.