More than 44 percent of children in Southwest Virginia are eligible for discounted meals at their schools.

But now that school is winding down for the summer, the Southwest Virginia Second Harvest Food Bank and a concerned community want to make sure those children continue to be fed.

The Roanoke-based food bank has organized and will provide food for the federal Summer Food Service Program at 15 sites throughout the region, Pamela Irvine, executive director of the food bank, said at a news conference Monday.

The sites -- sponsored by churches, schools, clubs and individuals -- will be added to the estimated 1,055 sites in the state that are part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Summer Food Service Program. The Roanoke Parks and Recreation Department hosts about 30 of those sites.

The new sites, many in rural localities, will reach areas that have not been included in the program during its 31 years.

"Rural areas in particular are hard for us to get to," said Alan Crane, state coordinator for the USDA food program.

The new sites -- in Roanoke, Abingdon, Covington, Clintwood, Independence, Hillsville, Galax, Clifton Forge, Chilhowie and Meadowview -- are expected to feed about 1,400 children.

"It's a neat way for us to fill that gap that is happening after school," said Judi Huffman, director of development for the food bank.

Irvine said program expansion was made possible by partnerships with the site sponsors.

"We cannot do that alone," she said.

The food bank, which is raising $3.6 million for its capital campaign, also received a $30,000 check from Kroger on Monday.

The money comes from Kroger's national fundraiser, "Bringing Hope to the Table," which raised $4 million in two weeks.

Some of the $30,000 will be used to defray program costs, Irvine said. Other funding for the program is provided by the USDA.