YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio-For thousands of valley children the end of the school year means the end of the free and reduced lmeals they receive every day at school.  But there is help available.

Youngstown Christian School is one of two locations where free lunches will be available for children this summer.

The Ohio Department of Education says in the valley's three county area there are more than 43,000 children on free and reduced meal programs. That's 49 percent of all children in classrooms this year.

The free summer lunch program is being provided by a group called The Lampstand Fellowship. Spokesman Nate Childers said the program offers a nutritional lunch and other enrichment activities.

"It's a free program. The lunches are provided by the USDA and the Ohio Dept of Education and the enrichment program is provided by local Austintown and Boardman churches,"Childers said.

Childers said one activity will teach kids how to plant gardens and grow food. 

 "Some of them will be pizza gardens where they'll be growing vegetables and fruits for pizzas that we'll have later," he said. 

The Free Summer Lunch Programs will be offered at Youngstown Christian School and Woodside Elementary School starting June 13th.