Pasadena Public Library kicked off the fifth year of Lunch at the Library, a program designed to address food insecurity over the summer months while promoting literacy. As we reach the halfway point of the summer, we can take a moment to look back at all that’s happened so far, and all that’s yet to come!
This year, Lunch at the Library started on June 9th and will continue until August 15th, spanning the length of time PUSD schools are out for the summer. At Jefferson and Villa Parke Branch, free lunch is served from 11:30 to 1:30 Monday through Friday — no registration or fees required. Free lunches are served to kids ages 0-18.
Each child can take a free book with their meal, and both library branches offer a variety of activities each day. In June, one of our most popular activities was Craft with Pride. During Pride Month, our community celebrates the resilience and contributions of LGBTQIA+ individuals, so on June 17th at Jefferson Branch Library, library staff provided crafting stations for rainbow bracelet making, basket weaving, and suncatchers, and kids could work on their handiwork before or after getting lunch.
In addition to crafts like the ones provided during Craft with Pride, Pasadena Public Library also partnered with several local organizations to bring music, farming, and DIY activities during the lunch period, including Street Art with Sergio, the Armory Center of the Arts’ program “Children Investigate the Environment,” Treehouse Music with Marwan Nassar, and Urban Homestead. Lead by Anaïs Dervaes, co-founder of the Urban Homestead Institute, days when Urban Homestead is at the library is full of hands-on activities! For ages 3 and up, this particular summer series focuses on sustainability practices that can help children become more connected to the environment and create useful items for their home or garden. Urban Homestead can be found at the Villa Parke Branch on Tuesdays and at Jefferson Branch on Thursdays, both from 12:00 – 1:30 until July 29th.
Lunch at the Library is a program that equips children with tools to succeed beyond school. Promoting literacy through reading and creating crafts that engage fine motor skills addresses summer learning loss by continuing learning outside of the classroom. In addition to the cognitive benefits, Lunch at the Library also supplies students with access to healthy food.
Meals are provided by USDA meal sponsors, including Pasadena Unified School District.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider. The Summer Food Service Program is a program of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, administered in California by the California Department of Education. Lunch at the Library is a project of the California State Library, supported with funds from the State of California.
