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Snohomish community steps up to feed kids after federal cuts

A program to feed hungry school children during the summer is being cut by the federal government.
Over the past eight summers, the Snohomish School District's Kid's Cafe mobile food program has doled out more than 150,000 free meals to low-income kids in the community. (Photo: KING)

Federal cuts to a meal program threatened to leave dozens of low-income kids without a stable food source this summer.

Over the past eight summers, the Snohomish School District's Kid's Cafe mobile food program has doled out more than 150,000 free meals to low-income kids in the community. They are meals the students are served in school when it's in session, but officials wanted to make sure the kids get enough to eat all the time.

"It's important they are healthy all year long so when they come back to school there has been a consistency in eating, and they are ready to learn," said the program's Kindle Smith.

As soon as Kindle's food truck pulled in to Snohomish's Circle H mobile home park Thursday, dozens of kids lined up.

She knows a lot of the kids by name and served up a friendly smile along with salads, sandwiches, fruit and milk.

WATCH: Snohomish schools' food truck for kids

Last year, the number of meals served by the program dropped by about 4,000, perhaps a sign of an improving economy.

That prompted the federal government to cut the program, eliminating meals for the entire Circle H neighborhood, including at least 40 children.

Smith doesn't believe the statistics tell the whole story.

"It's not that I'm seeing families that used to qualify and now don't. I'm seeing families that have qualified and can't live here anymore. They have to move in with relatives.," said Smith. "Some of them have had to move out of state because the rents are getting so high."

The only reason the Circle H kids are still getting fed this summer is because local businesses and charities raised more than $42,00 to do so.

"I think this community would really suffer if not for them," said Smith.

Snohomish school officials are preparing to depend more on local charities as the Trump administration continues to cut to low-income programs.

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