Free lunches starting in June at the Tulare County Library

TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Food for the body and food for the mind is Tulare County Library's goal for the summer.

Staff is gearing up for their annual free lunches, starting June 17th at various branches.

The program goes beyond making sure children are fed.

"Having access to healthy food options, is going to help with several factors such as the nutrition value, there's also the education value because children who are well fed will learn more and also economically this is food that families will not pay out of pocket, really there is many different ways that this program is going to be invaluable to the community," says Jonathan Waltmire who has seen first hand the difference the free lunches make.

"A lot of parents will come in and say, 'I'm so thankful you have these summer lunches for our kids.' Because finding something nutritious in the summertime when they are not in school is definitely a hardship. So, being able to bridge that gap and provide food, and nutritious food, to kids that may otherwise go hungry is definitely something that we are proud to be a part of."

Waltmire says 1 in 6 children in California are food insecure.

Local Free summer lunch programs are helping bridge that gap.

Last year, the Tulare County Public Library handed out over 2,300 meals to local children ages one to 18. They say those thousands of meals highlight the need in our local communities.

But it's not only the healthy and nutritious meals that keep families coming back..

"It's the resources that we offer in addition to the lunches, it's not only a lunch, it's a lunch paired with an activity like reading or attending a free event, so that is really the appeal that you can do those things. As well as a cool space to be in the very hot summer," mentions Florencia Wright at the Tulare County Library.

Eight of the Tulare County branches will offer free lunches between June 17th and July 25th.

On Tuesday through Friday from noon to 2 in the afternoon.

Lunch must be eaten at the library.

For more information, click here.

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