For the eighth year, the Powell Summer Food Service Program will be providing free lunches for children this summer, starting June 2.

Children can get free lunches each weekday at one of two locations; the large picnic complex behind the Powell Aquatic Center at Homesteader Park, between 11 a.m. and noon; and Southside Park at the north end near the picnic shelter 1-2 p.m. There are no requirements to sign up. 

Powell Valley Healthcare’s nutrition services department started operating the Summer Food  Service Program in 2018, under the leadership of Travis Tucker. He worked to establish the  program by completing all the necessary applications, food standards, and requirements through the Wyoming Department of Education and the United States Department of Agriculture. Tucker  is the director of nutrition services at PVHC and is a Certified Dietary Manager and Certified  Food Safety Professional. In April, he was awarded Wyoming’s Certified Dietary Manager of the Year by the Wyoming Association of Nutrition and Food Service Professionals. Travis has  worked in nutrition services at Powell Valley Healthcare for 15 years and has worked in health  care food service for 32 years, with 28 of those years in a leadership role.  

"I love this community and have raised three kids of my own here. I am fortunate to work for an organization that values giving back to the community and allows us to sponsor this program. After seven years, I have had the privilege of seeing the difference a meal can truly make,” said  Tucker. 

In the past seven years, staff and volunteers involved with the summer food service program have given out 39,377 meals, with the greatest amount for a summer recorded in 2022 at 9,217. Last year, the program contributed 7,478 meals, the second largest amount recorded.

“We spend many  weeks planning, advertising, and gathering community data to predict our needs each year,” Tucker said. “We work to continuously improve the program to better serve our community within the guidelines of the WDE and USDA."

This year the program is staggering the times at its sites in hopes to reach even more people.  He said menu items for the program are adjusted based off last year’s menus of what went well and what the kids didn’t like. 

“PVHC graciously offers me staffing support through use of student aides, another amazing  program supporting our youth here in the community," Tucker said. "Mary Neal, our dietician, works closely with Rachel Nicholson, site supervisor, to coordinate the menu and needed  supplies with our catering and supply coordinator, Josh Renaud." 

Nicholson served as the site supervisor last year and is returning to cover this role again  for the program.

“I am grateful to be returning to the summer food program. This resource has  been a huge relief to our community, and I love being a part of something so meaningful,” Nicholson said. “I appreciate the  guidance, the student aides, PVHC, and our community. Without each of these components, we  would not have such a successful program." 

On Friday, Aug. 1, PVHC will host a community barbecue to commemorate the closing of the  Summer Food Service Program. This year’s event will again extend invitations to Powell's EMS  team, Powell Police Department, Powell Fire Department, Park County Sheriff’s Department  and Guardian Flight.