Close to 50 percent of the children who live in the city of Rochester live below the poverty line.

The city said there is no reason those children should go hungry or eat junk food just because school is out. It is trying to get the word out about a state-funded initiative that is being underutilized this summer.

"I feel like this is my sanctum of peace. I come here to get away from stress and stuff," Aaron Pilgrim, 11, said.

"I like comin' here because it's fun to be here," Tyreek White, 10, said.

Hundreds of Rochester kids like Pilgrim and White fill city recreation centers looking to keep busy and cool while school is out for summer. A state-funded and city-administered summer food service program aims to keep them healthy too.

"By having this summer program we know that kids are getting offered high-quality, nutritious, appealing, meals with whole-grains, low-fat meats, fresh fruits and vegetables, low-fat milk, which they were seeing through out the school year," Rachel Pickering of Finger Lakes Health Systems Agency said.

On Tuesday's lunch menu: tuna salad pita, a plum, and low-fat milk.

"The food is good. Sometimes they feed us cold, sometimes they feed us hot lunches," said White.

"It's nice that they give it to you," Pilgrim said.

"The service is free of charge to the youth 18 years and younger throughout the community," program coordinator Jacob Scott explained.

Twenty-eight sites throughout the city are offering free breakfast and lunch this summer. About 1,000 kids are taking part.

Scott said the number of kids participating is a third of what it was last year and the number of sites has decreased by about 40.

"Many of our church sites that we've had in the past, we've seen a decline in numbers for various reasons. They just don't have the staff or the budgets. They don't have the capacity to offer arts and crafts and activities. They're trying to push students to go to the community sites, but many of our youth aren't taking advantage of it," Scott said.

Pickering said the need in the community is still high.

During the school year, about 28,000 city school students qualify for free and reduced priced meals.

"Whether that's economics or just overall education and knowledge that this service exists, we want to get the word out and definitely promote it," Pickering said.

Summer Food Service Sites
Summer Food for Kids