FARMINGTON — The new Bjorn Park on High Street will be a site for free lunches for children a couple days a week over five weeks this summer.

On Tuesday, the Board of Selectmen unanimously approved a request from Old South First Congregational Church to use the park on Mondays and Wednesdays from June 29 through July 29.

A majority of children in this area are eligible for free or reduced-price school lunches, Christopher Magri, representing the church’s outreach committee, told the board.

During the summer, lunches are not available for these children, he added.

Members of the church committee began researching a way to change that and then realized the Mallett School also intends to offer a site for free lunches this summer, he said.

The two combined their efforts and want to provide two sites, one at the school and the other at a site for children who might not have a way to get to the school, he said.

The meals are funded by the federal Summer Food Service Program and will be prepared by lunchroom personnel at Mallett School.

Lunches for Mallett School students and other children will be offered four days a week, Monday through Thursday, from June 29 to July 30 at the Mallett School, he said.

Volunteers from Old South church will transport lunches to Bjorn Park shortly before noon to set up for lunch, serve lunch and leave no later than 1 p.m., he said of the Monday and Wednesdays meals.

Along with setting up and serving, supervising meals that must be eaten there and cleaning up afterwards, the church wants to offer activities for the children such as reading a story. That tends to boost attendance, he said.

The church also plans to use church funds to pay for a lunch for adults who bring their children for the meal. The federal funds restrict the free lunch to ages 18 and under, he said.

Next year, they hope to involve other churches and expand to four days a week, Magri said.

“It is highly needed,” Selectman Matt Smith said of a provision of meals for children in the area.

Selectmen voiced questions about parking at the park and along High Street and encouraged Magri to talk with the police department about the plan.

[email protected]