California’s “Summer Fun Cafe” Costs Taxpayers

According to a Fox news report about 3 million kids at some 30,000 sites across the country get fed with a free lunch program during the summer.  The problem, as this story from California points out, not everyone going in to get free lunch during the summer is in need.  The "Summer Fun Cafe" in Northern California hands out lunch to anyone under 18 who shows up.  I love the fact that we can help kids in poverty and kids who usually are on the "reduced" pay lunch program, but anyone who shows up gets fed.  That's a problem.  If they can afford it, why are their parents not paying for these kids?  Maybe it's a stretch, but isn't this stealing?

That program and others are paid for by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and so it's the taxpayers that pay for the program.

"There's no income requirement, no enrollment, no paperwork," says Monique Stovall, nutrition director for the San Juan Unified School District outside Sacramento, Calif. "All children in the community in that age range can come eat with us for free." The lunch is a sandwich, milk and fruit, and we pay for it all.

Mom Julie Marks tells why she lets her kids go the program, "Normally we wouldn't qualify for a free lunch, but we're close and it's convenient, and my kids like it -- that's important".  She bring her two kids a few times a week.According to the Fox report, "taxpayer watchdog groups say most Americans are fine helping children truly in need".  That's the way I feel too.  Would you take your kids to something like that when you know good and well that you have more than enough money to provide their lunch?  I would not.  Why is it okay to just steal money from taxpayers like this.  It should be investigated.

Here is why it is allowed to happen:"We don't have to ask your income, because the overall purpose of the program is to provide a healthy meal to children," says Stovall.

This is a shame.  They need to save that money for the regular school year when kids who really need a meal can get one.