For a third year, Dawson County schools and parks will be opening their doors to help feed the hungry over the summer.

The school system's nutrition department is operating the Seamless Summer Feeding Program from community points across the county.

According to Linda Byrd, the system's director of school nutrition, local schools that qualified for the Summer Feeding Program had to have a reduced or free lunch rate of at least 50 percent.

All of Dawson County's elementary schools made the cut, she said.

"This program targets all children up to age 18 and age 19 for mentally and physically disabled children," Byrd said. "The program helps children and parents by providing a hot lunch meal Monday through Friday during the summer months of June and July when students are not attending school."

There are no criteria or paperwork to participate in the program.

"Just show up and we feed all children, even if the children do not live in this county or state," Byrd said.

The program will continue as long as 50 percent or more of children in the school qualify for free or reduced meals.

The meals will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday in June and July.

For more information about the program, call Linda Byrd at (706) 265-3246, Ext. 1008, or Rita Gilleland at Ext. 1019.