Peter White Public Library addresses the need for summer meals for kids

MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) – Libraries across the U.P. are addressing food insecurity among U.P. children this summer.

Friday morning, the Peter White Public Library handed out free meals to kids as part of the Gather 2 Grow program through Feeding America West Michigan. The program started at the library on June 2.

Now that school has ended for the summer, head of youth services, Sarah Rehborg, says on average, the library gives out double the amount of meals compared to the last weeks of school.

“Last week, we gave out just over 100 meals total over the two days. On Tuesday this week, we gave over 100 meals on just the one day… We’re keeping kids engaged in reading, but we’re also meeting some basic needs of making sure that kids have the ability to get food,” Rehborg said.

Rehborg said while demand has increased, the library is keeping up. She said it is vital to have a service like this available during summer when kids can’t rely on school meals. Peter White and 10 other U.P. libraries are offering the program for the first time this summer.

Feeding America West Michigan’s Communications & Marketing Manager, Anne Hamming, says libraries were the perfect location to host it.

“They’re at the hub of a community. Families and children already go there. The libraries were really willing to partner with us. They very quickly saw the importance and the value and the need. So, they stepped up to partner with us,” Hamming said.

Lunches are available to children 18 and under and developmentally delayed adults up to 26 years old, and you do not have to have a library card to take a meal.

Rehborg said the library is already looking at options to make the process smoother next year and will likely need more volunteers. The library will be offering meals until the end of August.

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