The Kansas Department of Education says a summer program served more than 1 million meals to needy children while public schools were out of session.

The agency says that when its final numbers are tallied, it expects the number of meals served to be more than 11 percent higher than it was last year.

Meals were offered at public schools and at sites run by camps, nonprofit groups and local government agencies, with the state reimbursing those organizations. Children up to 18 years old could receive both breakfast and lunch.

The program takes the place of meals programs in public schools when they are in session.

Salina was a part of the effort. Locally, Salina officials hoped to provide 27,000 meals. Last year during the summer program, 3895 breakfasts and 22,533 lunches were served to Salina children at eight open sites and one enrolled site.