(As announced in the Mt. Shasta Area News on Wednesday, June 13th)
All children from our community are invited to enjoy free lunches again this summer through the Great Northern Services’ Summer Lunch program. Kids can find healthy meals, fun activities, and a chance to see their friends at nine different locations this summer.
“For the families of children who receive free or discounted school lunches, summer break can be a difficult time with higher food expenses and increased insecurity around where their meals will come from. The Summer Food program helps alleviate this stress,” says Heather Solus, GNS Community Service Director, “And finding good summer activities for their kids can be a challenge for any family. We invite all children to join us at these lunch gatherings.”
GNS sponsors a USDA Summer Food Service program as their Summer Lunch program and has been expanding since its launch in 2015. This year, thanks to generous donations of time and money from Pacific Power Foundation, the Ford Family Foundation, individual donors and volunteers, and local business like Studio B in Mt. Shasta, more of our community’s kids will be fed and in more locations than ever before.
Free lunches will be served this summer as follows:
- In Dunsmuir, near the Dunsmuir Park & Rec Ball Park from 1–1:30 p.m.;
- In McCloud, at McCloud Elementary School from 12:30–1 p.m.;
- In Montague, at Montague Elementary School from 12:30–1 p.m.;
- In 3 locations in Mount Shasta: at Mount Shasta Elementary School from 12 – 12:30 p.m.; at Sisson School from 12 – 12:30 p.m.; and—starting July 9th—at the City Park from 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- In 3 locations in Weed: at Bel Air Park from 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m ; at Weed Elementary School from 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.; and at Mountain View Apartments from 11 – 11:30 a.m.;
The GNS Summer Lunch program begins serving meals this week and will run every weekday through August 3rd. Most sites will have activities for the kids on some days after lunch as well. Advance notice will be given if any lunch times or locations change over the course of the summer. Meals are provided to all children ages 18 and under without charge and are the same for all children regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability, and there is no discrimination in the course of the meal service.
“The community is invited to take an active role in making this program possible,” says Nichole McCown, GNS Marketing Assistant, “We are looking for volunteers to work help the GNS staff to prepare the healthy, wholesome meals that are distributed through the summer lunch program.” All prep work is done at the Weed Elementary School Kitchen from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. “Even if you can only help for one day a week,” adds McCown, “We’d love to have you on the team!” Applications are available on their website (www.gnservices.org/volunteer) or you can call GNS Community Services Director Heather Solus at 530-938-4115, extension 128.
Great Northern Services is an equal opportunity provider and employer. As a community based nonprofit they focus on helping low-income households become economically self-sufficient in order to boost sustainability for the rural communities in Siskiyou County.