A new effort to fight hunger in the Quad Cities offers a free weekend meal each month to low income children and their families in Scott County. "Kids Eat Free" held its first free meal last month, and will offer its second on Saturday.
The founder, Scott County Supervisor Ken Croken, says many kids depend on school nutrition programs for healthy meals, but what do they do on weekends when schools are closed ?
"More than 12 per cent of the population of Scott County are living in poverty and that's surprising to me. And the extent of poverty and hunger is something that is simply unacceptable and we have to react."
And Croken says getting help with the meals has been surprisingly easy.
"I have to say I've been really impressed - not one person I have approached about this problem declined to help. In fact, several have offered to do more than I was asking."
For the first Kids Eat Free in February, about 100 people showed up, and he's expecting about 200 on Saturday.
Serving begins at 3:30 pm at Jefferson Elementary School (1027 N. Marquette) in Davenport.
