Free lunch program is back this summer at the Heights Library

With school out for the summer, children and teens in the Heights who rely on free school lunches face a potentially hungry summer. Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library is ready to help again this year, by hosting the free summer lunch program sponsored by the Cleveland Foodbank at the Lee Road Library.

According to the U. S. Department of Agriculture, hunger is one of the greatest barriers to learning, and lack of nutrition over the summer can lead to poor school performance once school starts again in the fall. In addition to lunch, the library will be serving up reading-related activities and opportunities—kids can read books, play games, color, and sign up for the summer reading program while enjoying a healthy meal.

“This program enables us to fill the crucial nutritional needs of local children, while also offering opportunities for early literacy programming and services," noted Sam Lapides, the library’s interim young adult services coordinator and coordinator of the summer lunch program.

The library has the capacity to serve as many as 250 lunches, and invites all community children and youths up to age 18 to attend. Free lunch will be served between noon and 1 p.m. each weekday, June 13 through Aug. 20. No registration is required.

“We are so excited about offering this program again this summer,” said Nancy Levin, Heights Libraries director. “We met many new families last summer, including a large group of new immigrants. It is a perfect partnership for our library.” For more information about the program, contact Sam Lapides at 216-932-3600, ext. 290.