Dear public library community, Are you offering a summer meal service at your library this year? If you are, please tell us about it and use our resources! The California Library Association <http://cla-net.org> and California Summer Meal Coalition <http://www.summermealcoalition.org/> have developed extensive resources to help support and promote summer meal programs in libraries. *Website:* Visit our Lunch at the Library pages<http://www.cla-net.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=587>for planning, implementation, and evaluation resources: http://www.cla-net.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=587 *Listserv:* Email us <ncole@cla-net.org> to be included on our Lunch at the Library discussion list to ask questions, share information, and exchange ideas with colleagues: ncole@cla-net.org *Interactive map*: Fill out our form<http://www.cla-net.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=795>to be included on our interactive map of library summer meal sites: http://www.cla-net.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=795 Public library summer meal programs keep kids healthy, fed, and engaged when school is out. They help address summer learning loss and reduce the summer nutrition gap. Every summer, millions of kids and teens are at risk of going hungry because they no longer have access to the free or reduced-price meals they received when they were in school. The USDA Summer Food Service Program covers this summer meal gap. Free meals that meet federal nutrition guidelines are provided to all children 18 years old and under at approved SFSP sites in areas with significant concentrations of low-income children. *Libraries are ideal sites for serving USDA-supported summer meals:* - Libraries are trusted community spaces - Libraries welcome all and provide free access to lifelong learning resources - The summer reading program engages families with reading and with programs that extend the reading experience. *Summer meal programs support library goals:* - They attract new families to the library - Teen volunteers develop workforce readiness skills - The program provides genesis for creative community partnerships - The meal service provides opportunities to educate families about library services and resources - Families have a positive library experience that promotes feelings of health and wellbein. - The meal service boosts participation in the summer reading program Sincerely, Natalie and Patrice *Patrice Chamberlain* Director, California Summer Meal Coalition A program of the Public Health Institute Patrice.chamberlain@phi.org 415.637.6815 *Natalie Cole* Associate Executive Director, California Library Association ncole@cla-net.org 650-376-0886 option #4 California's Lunch at the Library program is supported by a grant from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. -- Mary Jo Vortkamp Manager/Children's Librarian Franklin Branch of the Detroit Public Library 13651 E. McNichols Detroit, MI 48205 313-481-1741 Hours: M, W, S 10-6 T & Th 12-8