FRANKLIN—The non-profit Cover 3 Football, Inc. was founded last year to help develop young male football athletes, but the organization is branching out to make sure local children get nutritious meals, said founder Greg Scott.

“I can provide all of these snacks to the kids free of charge to the schools and free of charge to the kids,” Scott said.

Cover 3 Football is sponsoring the Child and Adult Care Food Program at Meherrin and Capron elementary schools and the James L. Camp Family YMCA KidZone.

The snacks provided must meet certain nutritional guidelines and could include milk, meat or meat alternate, vegetables, fruits or full-strength vegetable or fruit juice.

Any school with at least 50 percent of its students qualifying for free or reduced-priced lunches is eligible to participate, Scott said. The YMCA qualifies because it’s located in an area where 50 percent of students are eligible, he added.

Scott, a Southampton High graduate and former professional football player, said he got involved because he felt it was a good way to reach the youth and encourage them.

“Some of the kids are a little bit different from the other kids,” he said. “When they go home, they might not know when their next meal is coming.”

Scott said the program is open to any after-school program with an educational component.

“If they don’t have a supervised educational program, Cover 3 can implement one,” he said.

Scott said it’s important to talk to the students about life as well as schoolwork.