Cold sprinkles of rain spotted the pavement of Monroe Park in Ogden. Under a long gazebo, children formed a line as Ogden School District employees set food on tables.

More than 200 waited patiently, some wrapped in blankets, others shrugging off the wind in T-shirts, to receive a free meal.

The park is one of 181 sites throughout Utah that have implemented the federally-funded summer food-service program. For more than 30 years, it has filled the gap during summers for families who rely on free or reduced priced school meals when school is in session.

Ogden resident Emily Izaguirre stood next to a table orchestrating lunch time for nine children lining the wooden benches in the gazebo. When Izaguirre does not receive work hours from her job, she spends the day helping her family by watching nieces and nephews, along with her son. More often than not, she is watching children rather than working.

"My job just called me a week ago, and there's no work for a month. What are we to do for a month for food, for gas, for rent?" Izaguirre said. "It's difficult, and for these children, having to feed them one less time a day saves us money."

In 2010, the summer food service program served more than 1.2 million meals to children in Utah, an increase at a cost of nearly $3.5 million. That was an increase from the previous year and Charlene Allert, assistant director of child nutrition programs for the Utah State Office of Education, said she expects those numbers to rise again this year.

"People that are low-income are a little invisible in our community," Allert said. "We have a high rate of what we call hunger insecurity. That means people don't always know where their next meal is coming from."

School districts and nonprofit organizations can set up summer food service programs in areas where 50 percent or more of the kids attending the public schools qualify for free or reduced-price lunches. Most sites are open to the public, allowing anyone up to the age of 18 years old to use the program for free.

This year, Allert saw more nonprofits offering food alongside school districts. Boys & Girls Clubs, YMCAs, churches and community-action programs have all added food service programs to their agenda to fill the growing need.

"We can ensure kids are receiving a nutritious meal," said Maren Miller, the unit director of the Capitol West Boys & Girls Club in Salt Lake City. "Families really depend on the program."

In a noisy school gymnasium at Heartland Elementary School in West Valley City, Lisa Aldridge playfully argues with her 4-year-old about how many bites of chicken add up to a full meal. With her daughter, the answer is always one more bite. Aldridge has been taking her children to the summer food service program for six years.

"We are really struggling because we have a single family income," she said. "We barely make enough to get by."

Aldridge said a typical monthly budget included $300 or $400 for groceries, but the program saves her at least $200 a month.

"We see the same families come through every single day," said Anna Gibson, who works as a nutrition manager for the Jordan School District. "Food for people is a necessity and if you can give them a good quality meal that can sustain them throughout the day, that keeps people healthy and alive."

closeup@sltrib.com —

Summer food sites

The federal government pays for schools and other organizations to offer meals throughout the summer in areas where percent 50 percent of children qualify for free or reduced price school lunches. All children are eligible to eat the meals. Sites in the west valley and their operating dates and times include:

East Midvale Elementary • 6990 S. 300 East, Midvale; through Aug. 12; breakfast, 8:30-9:30 a.m. Monday-Friday; lunch, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Monday-Friday.

Harmony Park • 3700 S. Main St., Salt Lake City; through Aug. 18; lunch, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Monday-Friday.

Granite Park Junior High • 3031 S. 200 East, Salt Lake City; July 13; lunch, 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Monday-Wednesday.

Robert R. Fitts Park • 3000 S. 500 East, Salt Lake City; through Aug. 18; lunch, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Roosevelt Elementary • 3225 S. 800 East, Salt Lake City; through June 24; lunch, 12:30-1 p.m., Monday-Friday.

Nibley Park Elementary • 2785 S. 800 East, Salt Lake City; July 14; breakfast, 8-9 a.m., Monday-Thursday; lunch, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday.

Union Park • 7360 S. 700 East, Midvale; through Aug. 12; lunch, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Monday-Friday.

Copperview Elementary • 8449 S. 150 West, Midvale; through Aug. 12; breakfast, 8:30-9:30 a.m., Monday-Friday; lunch, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Monday-Friday.

Midvale Boys & Girls Club • 7631 S. Chapel St. (425 West), Midvale; through Aug. 12; supper, 4:45-5:30 p.m., Monday-Friday.