Summer Lunch at the Library

About the Program

Category: Libraries (Best in Category)

Year: 2017

The Summer Lunch at the Library program addresses the need for low income students who receive free lunch at their public school to continue to receive assistance over the summer, with a twist. As in many localities, there are children who rely on the federal school lunch program for the daily nutrition they may not receive at home. Chesterfield County Public Library (CCPL) locations serve these same neighborhoods and are committed to serving as a local hub and trusted local government agency for families of diverse economic and cultural backgrounds. Additionally, CCPL has had a long time relationship with the school district in support of minimizing summer learning loss. There is clear correlation between nutrition and school success. In the Spring of 2015, library staff members began exploring the options for providing free lunches to county children during summer months. We investigated the qualifying factors and learned about community providers. Staff members expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity to participate and administrative support was obtained. The addition of activities and resources that tap into the library’s role in facilitating reading and learning further benefits the participants and their families. We not only served 1,085 lunches in 2015 and 1,102 lunches in 2016, we also improved the relevance of the library to the people who need us the most by serving meals and building relationships with individuals who now know about the many ways the library can help them better their lives and achieve their goals.