 Even after students leave for the summer, many schools and community organizations will be able to provide children with healthy food. As Balmyer reports, the Boys and Girls Club of the Bemidji area is one of the local organizations to be providing the service through a federal program. The Summer Food Service program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture gives organizations money to provide healthy food to children. Sites are established in areas where at least 50 percent of students are eligible for free and reduced price school meals. Every kid who comes to the Boys and Girls Club during the summer and is a member can eat a lunch and an afternoon snack for free. The food they serve throughout the summer will meet U.S.D. and state standards of a balanced meal. We're serving fruits and vegetables and we're serving a protein of some kind and usually a fluid milk and a grain. But this site is taking it one step further with their Healthy Habits program. That teaches them about my plate, why they need all the different categories, what's important about them and the different serving size, all that good stuff. As part of a comprehensive approach, club members will even be growing part of their meals. We harvest lots of tomatoes, which is great. They've added on to their gardening center with 15 raised beds recently installed by T&K outdoors. So we could raise even more fruits and vegetables for our kids to enjoy here at the Boys and Girls Club during our snack and lunch program. Last year, they were able to produce over 900 pounds of fruits and vegetables. Many extra food was sold to area restaurants and at the club's farmers' market. Giving them the opportunity to learn entrepreneurial skills by growing the produce and also like inventorying it and pricing it. Any family, regardless of income level, can apply for a membership to have their child participate in this summer's activities. In Bemidji, I'm Mel Myer, Lakeland News. Last year there were nearly 900 free summer meal sites for students in the state of Minnesota. If you've enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland Public Television.