The Kalispell Parks and Recreation department has received a $26,200 grant to improve children’s access to healthy food, nutrition literacy and physical activity outside of school.

The grant is offered through the National Recreation and Park Association and Walmart Foundation as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Summer Food Service Program and Child and Adult Care Food Program.

In partnership with Kalispell Public Schools, the money will be used to increase the number of healthy breakfasts, lunches and snacks served to children from low-income families while offering fun physical activities and lessons in nutrition to teach the importance of healthy eating.

An emphasis of the program is to strengthen the summer food service program. Kalispell Public Schools began serving free breakfast and lunch to children up to age 18 in 2012.

Money will be earmarked to purchase new equipment for the school district’s central kitchen where meals are prepared and to renovate the concession building at Woodland Park where meals are served.

Another goal of the grant is to reduce costs, maximize existing resources and decrease food waste to create a more sustainable program.

It will also be used to buy picnic tables and playground equipment at locations where students are served in addition to garden supplies for raised garden beds.

Grant funding will also be used to provide training for a local Montana FoodCorps service member to learn and implement The OrganWise Guys nutrition curriculum along with creating a marketing campaign to boost participation numbers.

According to the parks and recreation application for the grant, 12,104 meals and snacks were served to children before and after school and over the summer in 2013. This number dropped in 2014 to 10,971.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at [email protected].