TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) -- A child advocacy group says children in a third of Kansas counties don't have access to summer food programs. Many sites across the state provide the federally funded summer meals. But the Kansas Appleseed Center for Law and Justice says 35 counties don't have any meal locations in the summer. For example, Rebekah Gaston, an attorney for the group, says no sites are available north and west of Hays. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that state education officials note 100 new meal sites were added this year, many in rural counties. Obstacles to providing the meals in rural areas include finding community locations and partners willing to help and the long distances families would travel to reach the meal sites.
Federal Food Program Struggles to Reach Rural Kansas
