FRANKLIN—The Suffolk branch of the Salvation Army has only been delivering meals to Franklin for two weeks, but already some 1,600 lunches have

been served as part of a summer feeding program.

The program, in its first year, is funded by general operating funds of the Salvation Army and provides 150 lunches per day, five days a week, Maj. Cal Clatterbuck said.

Clatterbuck came up with the idea to start the program to &uot;eliminate vandalism&uot; and to alleviate the &uot;burden&uot; on parents who have to provide lunches for their children when the school year is over.

&uot;I wanted to make sure that the kids are getting at least one meal,&uot; Clatterbuck said.

The lunches, which include a sandwich, apple sauce or a fruit cup, and cookies, are made at the Suffolk office of the Salvation Army and delivered by Clatterbuck to the Housing Authority in Franklin at 11:30 a.m. each weekday.

The Housing Authority then distributes the lunches to three locations in Franklin. The lunches are handed out at one location directly across from the Housing Authority, another on Pretlow Street and one on Bruce Street.

Clatterbuck said the Salvation Army hopes to continue the program until school resumes but needs sponsors in order to do so.

&uot;I thought it would really go off like dynamite,&uot; he said, but the Salvation Army is still footing the entire bill.

Clatterbuck put together a similar program in 1992 in Washington, D.C., that provided breakfast meals to students before school. He said that it &uot;transformed the neighborhood&uot; and that he still hears from some of the kids.

There is a similar program in Suffolk called Kid’s Caf\u00E9.

Supplies, or the $120 needed to supply a day’s worth of lunches for the Franklin program, can be donated by contacting Clatterbuck at the Salvation Army office in Suffolk, 539-5201.

&uot;I really think it is worthwhile,&uot; he said.