St. Louis County Library and Operation Food Search will provide lunches to children this summer at nine SLCL locations starting on June 5, 2023.
Participating branches will offer a nutritious lunch along with activities for kids from noon to 1 p.m., Monday–Friday. Meals will be available free of charge for children ages 18 and under. Additional details are available at www.slcl.org/summer-lunches.Â
SLCL and Operation Food Search have partnered for several years to address food insecurity in the region. Last year SLCL & OFS distributed over 40,000 meals. The summer lunch program helps bridge the gap for families who rely on free or reduced lunch service during the school year.
Summer break can pose an unexpected financial burden on families whose kids typically eat lunch at school. Free summer meals can mitigate the physical and emotional toll of food insecurity, which can put students at an academic disadvantage in the long run.
The meals are funded through the USDA’s Summer Food Service Program and coordinated by Operation Food Search. SLCL provides complementary activities such as board games, crafts, and story times during and after the lunch hour. Teen library volunteers help with the program. Information about the Summer Reading Club and how to obtain a library card will also be presented during the free lunch mealtimes.
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According to the USDA, an estimated 14% of American households are food insecure – which means about 15.3 million children are living in food insecure households.
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About 22.1 million children and teens receive free and reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program. But only about 1 in 6 of those (approximately 3.8 million) participate in the summer meal programs.
“School meals are foundational to the health and nutrition for millions of our nation’s children,” the USDA states in a release.
“But, when school is out for the summer, children who count on free and reduced-price meals during the school year suddenly face the highest risk of hunger. When you combine this food insecurity with a pandemic recovery and rising food prices, it’s cause for real concern.”
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The summer lunch program will be offered at the following branches:
Bridgeton Trails, 3455 McKelvey Road, Bridgeton, MOÂ
Florissant Valley, 195 N. Florissant Road S., Florissant, MO
Jamestown Bluffs, 4153 N. Highway 67 Florissant, MO 1
Lewis & Clark, 9909 Lewis-Clark Blvd. St. Louis, MOÂ
Natural Bridge, 7606 Natural Bridge Road St. Louis, MOÂ
Parkview, 8400 Delport Drive St. Louis, MO
Prairie Commons, 915 Utz Lane Hazelwood, MOÂ
Rock Road, 10267 St. Charles Rock Road St. Ann, MOÂ
Weber Road, 4444 Weber Road St. Louis, MOÂ
Additional support for the summer lunch program is provided by the St. Louis County Library Foundation.
For more information about the free lunch program, please visit www.slcl.org/summer-lunches.Â
