Lunch program is free, open to all 18-and-under
By Jake Yothment | For The Bugle
From now until August 16, the Niles-Maine District Library will not only nourish the minds of children, but also their bellies.
The library has hosted the Summer Food Service program since 2015. The library served its first lunch on June 19. Lunch is served every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday until Aug. 16. All children under 18 are eligible to receive meals; no documentation is required. On June 19, were served a balanced lunch of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, salad, juice, chocolate milk, a peach and cranberry snacks.
Along with serving the first lunch of the summer, the library also hosted a press conference on June 19 to discuss the benefits and purpose of the lunch program. Susan Dove Lempke, director of the Niles-Maine District Library, spoke about the importance of a balanced lunch for children.
“It’s hard to keep up with the needs of a growing child,” Lempke said. “Children are hungry for a lot of things, but their hunger for action or creativity cannot be nourished if they are hungry for food.”
The lunch program is federally funded through the United States Department of Agriculture and is administered by the Illinois State Board of Education. The program also received funds from No Kid Hungry. At the meeting, Diane Doherty, executive director of the Illinois Hunger Coalition, stressed the importance of utilizing resources to help feed children including the Hunger Hotline, a toll-free number where a bilingual service connects families to sites in their community where they can receive free food.
“Illinois ranks 31 out of 50 in the nation for summer meals participation, so we have a lot of work to do,” Doherty said.
The Niles-Main District Library is also in the midst of its Summer Reading Challenge, which consists of more than 1,000 area kids. Kids are encouraged to read throughout the summer for a chance to win prizes including a one-year family membership to the Kohl Children’s Museum, a 32-inch Roku Smart TV and a one-year LootCrate subscription. Kids under 18 are able to participate.
“Our Summer Reading Challenge keeps kids reading and doing education activities throughout the year,” Sasha Vasilic, public relations and marketing supervisor for the Niles-Main District Library said. “We keep it fun, and we keep kids coming back.”