TRAVERSE CITY — Traverse Area District Library locations estimate they will surpass last year’s total number of free lunches distributed to northern Michigan youth and families as the program enters its second year in Grand Traverse County.
Feeding America West Michigan operates the Gather 2 Grow program, which offers free lunch meals to 57 library locations across 18 counties in the state. Four Grand Traverse County libraries — East Bay and Kingsley branches, Interlochen Public Library and Traverse City’s main branch — are continuing their participation in the program in an effort to help keep kids fed when school isn’t in session during the summer.
The library’s head of youth services Andy Schuck estimated that the main branch gave out more than 2,700 meals over the course of the 2024 program, which spanned June and July with only a few days offered in August. This year, the locations will offer free lunches for the entire summer, starting on June 4 and running until Aug. 29.
“Once school let out, we’ve seen a lot of families come in,” Schuck said. “Over the course of almost four weeks now, we’ve given out over 800 meals.”
Kingsley Branch Library Manager Amy Barritt agreed that school meals make a difference for families and youth in the community. However, once schools close for the summer, options can be few and far between.
Gather 2 Grow helps bridge that gap for communities aiming to address food insecurity.
“If things keep going the way they do, I would say it’s a good 25 percent over what we gave out last year,” Barritt said of her branch’s current tally — 232 meals handed out in the first three weeks. As of a week ago Wednesday, she counted an additional 183 lunches distributed.
East Bay Branch Library Manager Chantel Lentz observed an uptick, too.
“We’re seeing a little better turnout than we did last year,” Lentz said. “I think more people know about it now and we’ve extended (the dates) this summer.”
Lentz tallied three weeks of meal service at her branch, which usually happens around the same time the libraries offer their summer reading programs each day. The East Bay branch has distributed 95 meals in that time span.
According to Feeding America West Michigan, children 18 and under and developmentally-delayed adults up to age 26 can receive one of the free meals at any of the participating libraries. All meals are nut-free, with gluten-free and vegetarian options also available.
Schuck said the branches also typically stagger the days and times that they offer lunches to reach as many people as possible.
“I know families count on us for the brain portion — reading, learning and accessibility — but we all know you need to have a fully belly to be able to really process that information,” Schuck said. “I think going hand-in-hand with the food program, it really makes a difference for us and the community.”
Barritt acknowledged that while the meal service is reaching more residents, it also may indicate that more of the northern Michigan community is in need this year versus last summer.
“I am worried about what that means about other numbers in our communities and what people are able to do with their personal budget,” she said.
Interlochen Public Library Director Jennifer Thomet noted that having an option for kids and families to use also opens up more ways for other community institutions to help. Thomet said that the community group “Friends of the Interlochen Public Library” supplements the library’s lunches with a variety of healthy snack replacements should children want to swap an item in their lunch for something else.
“It’s a way for them to have total autonomy over what they’re eating,” Thomet said. “I’m really thankful for our group … it’s making sure kids have something to eat that’s well-balanced.”
Thomet said the Interlochen library has handed out around 120 meals each week, totaling about 380 meals distributed during those first three weeks of the program.
For weekday distribution, Schuck said libraries are able to complete an online order form for the meals needed each week and pick up their order.
“They have made it pretty easy for us,” Schuck said of Feeding America West Michigan. “It gives us that time to interact with patrons and give them a good meal.”
Barritt said that programs have been considered in the past, but nothing connected as easily as the Gather 2 Grow program.
“I’ve been really pleased with how simple Feeding America has made this program for us to get started,” she said. “We’ve had promises before, but there was always something in the way.
“But Feeding America really gets it.”