Cartoon character Winnie the Pooh sometimes looks forlornly at his empty honey pot and laments, "There is a grumbly in my tumbly." Many local children can relate to Pooh's serious sentiment, as they cope with hunger on a daily basis.

One out of every three students in the Washoe County School District qualifies for free lunch at school, or about 23,000 students. But what happens to hungry kids when school ends and summer break begins?

The Food Bank of Northern Nevada hosts the children's summer food program to calm those hungry "grumblies." Qualified children can get a free, nutritious meal at a nearby park, school or community center every weekday from June 9 to Aug. 22.

The program caters to low-income children ages 1 to 18 years old.

"Any child is welcome to come and eat at any site," said Sue Eckes, director of Child Nutrition Programs for the Food Bank of Northern Nevada.

To inform the public, the Food Bank gave out 430 sacks filled with fruit snacks, fresh fruit and reminders about the summer food program to students at Lincoln Park Elementary School in Sparks on Wednesday.

Kids with excited smiles quickly snatched up the free bags of fruit and shouted "Yes!" and "Ohhhh!" at the little packets of fruit snacks covered in the bright green and purple of the “Shrek” cartoon character.

"Fewer than 2,500 children and teens community-wide used the Summer Food Program last year," Eckes said. "There are so many more kids that get free lunch at school. A big part of the challenge here is just getting the word out about the summer food program."

The meal is a sack lunch that includes a sandwich or other cold entree, fruit, vegetable, sometimes a treat and always a milk. The meal varies from day to day, but all meet the USDA child nutrition requirements for this age group, Eckes said.

The food bank sponsors 18 sites that offer the free children's summer meal program, Reno Parks & Recreation has eight sites, the Boys & Girls Club offers one or two sites and the Washoe County School District hosts one summer meal site, Eckes said.

From June 9 to Aug. 15, the free children's meals will be available at the following Sparks sites:

• 11:30 to 11:50 a.m. at Poulakidas Park next to Lincoln Park Elementary School, 530 E. Fourth St.

• 12:10 to 12:30 p.m. at Ardmore Park, 1200 Twelfth St.

• 12:05 to 12:30 p.m. at Burgess Park, at the corner of Greenbrae and Pyramid Way

• 12:45 to 1:15 p.m. at Deer Park, 1700 Prater Way

"The parks are a great setting for the summer food program," Eckes said. "They line up, eat their meal, then can play in the park afterwards."

In addition, Robert Mitchell Elementary School at 1216 Prater Way in Sparks will offer two free meals per day, Monday through Friday, from July 7 to Aug. 1. Breakfast will be held from 8:45 to 9 a.m. and lunch will be from 11:30 to 11:45 a.m. Breakfast will include bread or baked goods, a piece of fruit and milk. These meals are sponsored by Washoe County School District, Eckes said.

"The program is also offered through our community partners who also feel a strong need to care for the hungry children over the summer," Eckes said. "It takes community collaboration to bring these meals to children who need them."

For more information on the children's summer food programs, contact the Food Bank of Northern Nevada at 331-3663.