Summer feeding programs scheduled to begin in June

A program that provides free meals to local children in Mountain Home and Glenns Ferry each summer are set to begin starting next week.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Mountain Home starts its annual "Picnic in the Park" program June 1 with the yearly summer feeding program in Glenns Ferry set to begin June 5.

"Summertime means food, friends and fun (but) for some families, summer’s bright promise has been replaced with worry, anxiety and the threat of hunger," said Lisa Stover-Russell, a spokesperson with the local Catholic charity. "The average family’s grocery bill increases by $300 per month during the summer."