The program kicked off on Mo

nday as part of Feeding America’s Gather 2 Grow program. With help from Feeding America, the library has free meal options available to families at no cost this summer, with the program running from June 2 to August 29. Children 18 and under, as well as adults with developmental delays up to age 26, are able to pick up nutritious, packaged meals at the library from 12 to 1:30 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays.

“One of the nice things about the program is that the kids get to choose what they eat. Every time that we’re offering this, they’ll have two options (to choose from).” explained Jessica Holman, Director of the Negaunee Public Library. “Today (June 2), we’ve got the build-your-own pizza and the chips and dip. The chips and dip (are) vegetarian and gluten-free, so that’s great. There’s no nuts in any of the meals, absolutely nut free. Some of the meals do have sunflower seed butter, or the pizza packet that we have today has a little package of sunflower seeds as a little snack, and the kids all have utensils and a juice box, so if people want to eat here, they can, or if they want to take it to the park and eat, have a little picnic outside and then play on the playground, they can do that, or they can take it home and eat it there. It’s a very flexible program.”

Holman also encouraged parents to give them a call so the library can offer a small curbside service, in case parents want to pick up a meal for their kids, but are worried about leaving a sleeping baby in the car or similar situations.

If you aren’t in the Negaunee area, other libraries across the U.P. are also participating in Feeding America’s Gather 2 Grow program this summer. These schedules may be subject to change, and for additional questions, please contact the individual library. Here are the pickup times and locations for different libraries:

This is an example of one of the meals. (Journal photo by Abby LaForest)

• 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesdays through Fridays at the Bayliss Public Library in Sault Ste. Marie, located at 514 Library Drive

• 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at the DeTour School and Public Library in DeTour Village, located at 202 South Division Street

• 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays at the Drummond Island Library in Drummond, located at 29934 East Court Street

• 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays at the Pickford Community Library in Pickford, located at 137 East Main Street

• 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays at the Peter White Public Library in Marquette, located at 217 North Front Street

• 12 to 1 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays at the Munising School Public Library in Munising, located at 810 State Highway M-28 West

• 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Brevort Township Library in Moran, located at 1941 West Church Road

• 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Les Cheneaux Community Library in Cedarville, located at 75 East Hodeck Street

• 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at the Engadine Library in Engadine, located at W13920 Melville Street

• 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays at the Mollie R. Kahl Community Library in Rudyard, located at 11185 West 2nd Street

“This (is our) inaugural year and hopefully, our colleagues at other libraries will see how the program goes this summer and (think they) should get on board,” said Holman. “Hopefully, it will spread to the Western U.P. as well.”

The Negaunee Public Library is located at 319 West Case Street. For more information about Gather 2 Grow or questions about the library, please contact them at 906-475-7700, ext. 18.

Abby LaForest can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 548. Her email address is alaforest@miningjournal.net.