BUTTE, Mont. — Non-profit leaders, local officials and volunteers gathered in Butte on Thursday to shine a light on a program providing free meals to kids.

The Summer Food Service Program is continuing to provide free meals to kids 18 and under across Montana on weekdays through August 9, thanks to the Montana Food Bank Network and No Kid Hungry.

In Butte, Action Inc. is the lead organizer, and they have 17 meal sites in Butte-Silver Bow and one each in Deer Lodge and Whitehall.

Local and state organizers met Thursday at Clarks Park In Butte to emphasize the importance of this project and remind the public that many sites now offer non-congregate meals. The meals can be taken to go and include a hot lunch for the next day.

“We’re already seeing upwards of a 200% increase in children accessing these free meals with this new flexibility, which is staggering. Action Inc. Alone, more than tripled their service numbers from moving to the congregate model to the non-congregate model. We’re just hoping that we can serve more and more,” said Samantha Dennison, child nutrition manager for the Montana Food Bank Network.

“No one should go hungry. And so, I think if I can say anything it’s that there are programs and services to help if you need, and this program is incredible,” said Kristen Chambers, chief of operations for Action Inc. “And so please, if anybody needs USS or you want to be a part of something like this, please feel free to reach out to Action Inc.”

Parents can pick up meals for their kids if the kid is not able to make it to the site.

Funding for the program in Butte comes via mini grants, the USDA, the Office of Public Instruction, Town pump Charitable Foundation, and donations.

Action Inc. provided nearly 63,000 meals to kids in Southwest Montana last year and are nearing 40,000 meals served this summer.

To find the free meal station nearest you, text FOOD to 877-877 or visit the program website.