Dubuque groups helping get food to kids during summer break

DUBUQUE, Iowa (KCRG) – It’s the first full week of summer break for students in Dubuque Community School District.

For many kids, summer break can mean not knowing when or where their next meal will come from. That’s where groups like Convivium Urban Farmstead and the Riverbend Food Bank step in to help.

Every second and fourth Tuesday of the month, people can pick up a free box with produce, dairy, and meat. This week’s boxes were claimed in just seven minutes.

“People come early, they’re lining up basically for the food and they’ve created friendships and connections through that,” said Leslie Shalabi with Convivium. “If we can eliminate the need for a couple of meals during the week, it really does help.“

Convivium has also provided more than 40,000 casserole meals for the community in the last five years. Those are available to pick up every Thursday while supplies last.

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