Did you know that over 45 percent of students in Lincoln County signed up to receive free and reduced lunch in 2013-2014 school year? That amounts to nearly 2,000 students that are living in households that may not have funds to feed them sufficiently. This puts our students at a significant disadvantage when it comes to learning and retention of skills learned; and at risk for increased health issues that often leads to absences from school.

Many in the community have noticed and are looking to do something about it. The Untied States Department of Agriculture has a variety of programs that are funded to increase students access to meals; the school lunch and breakfast program, After-School At Risk Program, Fresh Fruit and Veggie Program and the Summer Food Service Program.

These programs are in use throughout the county, but often are very underutilized; they cannot combat the issue alone, and there are often still gaps. For example, what do kids do on weekends and long school vacations when school meals are not available?

One person in the community who is looking to do something about it is Great Salt Bay fifth grader Andrew Lyndaker.

Andrew has been talking about starting a weekend or vacation food take home program for the last year and a half, presenting to the school principal, student council and GSB PTO to gather support for his idea.

This February vacation, in partnership with Healthy Lincoln County, AOS superintendent Steven Bailey and the Damariscotta Rotary Club, Andrew was able to pilot his program and provide 20 bags of food for students at GSB. Andrew is calling his program "Food for Thought" and he hopes this is just the beginning of this program at GSB.

Programs like this require significant fundraising efforts and volunteer organization, Andrew's mother, Amy Lyndaker, is looking to form a committee to see about the possibility of keeping a program such as this going at Great Salt Bay. You may contact her and Andrew at lyndakeramy@gmail.com or 207-798-0528.

There are already several other weekend "back pack" programs throughout the county that could also use help: Feed Our Scholars in Wiscasset, 207-882-7184; Blessings in a Back Pack in Jefferson, 207-242-9300; and Caring for Kids in Bristol/South Bristol, 207-677-3300. Anni Pat McKenney, Programs and Summer Food Service Coordinator at Healthy Lincoln County, is always looking to increase kids access to healthy foods. If you have questions or wish to get involved, you may also contact her at 207-563-1330 or programs@healthylincolncounty.org.

A very special thanks to the Damariscotta Rotary members that made the funds available to pilot this program at Great Salt Bay this February. They look to be a key partner in the future in the fight to end student hunger in Lincoln County.