Communities with a high percentage of children from low-income families will again be targeted by the state Department of Education for free lunch service during the summer vacation.

The public school system, which will again receive money from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Summer Food Service Program, is currently seeking community sponsors such as churches and nonprofit organizations to help ensure children in high-poverty areas continue to receive nutritious meals during the six weeks of summer.

Sponsoring organizations will receive federal reimbursements for serving breakfast, lunches or snacks, said Sue Uyehara, director of the Office of Hawai'i Child Nutrition Program from the DOE.

"The purpose of this is to cover that gap group that would normally get their meals in a school environment. It's an opportunity to get continuous meals when schools are out for summer," Uyehara said.

Uyehara, a registered dietitian, said statistics show that children in poverty most often receive their most nutritious meal while at school. When not in school, those same children are more likely to eat cheap, highly processed foods high in fat and sugar, contributing to their risk for childhood obesity.

"We're not just touting a meal, but a nutritious meal that meets the USDA standard," she said.

The DOE has not finalized a list of schools that will be participating in the summer meal service. Most schools that participate in the meal program are those that offer summer school.

Last year, schools in Wai'anae, Nanakuli, urban Honolulu and Wahiawa, as well as on Maui, Moloka'i and the Big Island, provided meals.

Community organizations may also sponsor food service in school communities in which 50 percent or more students are receiving free or reduced-price lunch. Likely partners include churches, community centers and Boys and Girls Clubs in the vicinity of a high-poverty school.

Over the past several years, the two largest sponsors have been the City and County of Honolulu through its Summer Fun Program and the state DOE, said Terri Kam-Ogawa, a child nutrition specialist. Other smaller organizations such as Boys and Girls Clubs, churches and nonprofits also help by providing summer meals.

"If a school close to you meets the criteria, you join the program as a sponsor and the federal government will give a reimbursable rate for whatever meal you serve," Kam-Ogawa said.

The average daily participation rate during last year's summer meal service was about 5,000 kids. Hawai'i received about $554,000 in reimbursement from the federal government for meals provided last year.

Uyehara said there's potential to reach more high-poverty school communities if more partners join the DOE in providing meal service.

"If you look at Idaho, they're similar in size to us. They're reaching 20,000 students. So I think there is huge potential here," she said.