By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
Students visiting the KDL Kelloggsville Branch this summer did not only have the opportunity to feed their minds, but their stomachs as well.
The library, which is located in the Kelloggsivlle High School, 4787 S. Division Ave, partnered with Feeding America and the Kelloggsvile Public Schools to offer the Meet Up and Eat Up. The summer food program is a statewide-effort to provide nutritious meals to lower-income areas during the summer months when students do not have access to the National School Lunch or School Breakfast programs.
“The discussion came about through an informal meeting about the KDL Kelloggsville branch, said Michael Zurgable, a librarian at the KDL Kelloggsville branch. “Kelloggsville Assistant Superintendent Tammy Savage mentioned that 85 percent of the students in the district receive free and reduce lunches.”
Through that discussion, KDL Executive Director Lance Warner through the Kelloggsville branch would be a good site for the Meet Up and Eat Up program. The program already was in several of the Kelloggsville schools, but not at the high school, Zurgable said.
Through Aug. 17, the library offers breakfast and snack three days a week. Breakfast is served from 9:30 – 10: 30 a.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and snack is served from noon to 1 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday as well.
Since the library needed to have mostly non-perishable items, breakfast offerings are usually cereal, milk, apple juice and a snack item. The snack offerings are usually granola, a granola bar, crackers with cheese, beef stick, fruit snacks, and water. There is a table for students to place unwanted, unopened items for others to take.
Anyone 18 years old and younger is eligibly to come and eat, as well as people up to age 26 who are enrolled in an education program for the mentally or physically disabled. Up to 100 students will be served per meal.
Zurgable said the library, which officially opened in January of this year, has not hit the 100 mark at any meal as residents are still learning about the facility. Located in the high school, KDL has been working to educate residents, especially those who live near the high school, about the school district and KDL partnership. KDL operates the facility during the summer and after school during the school year so as area residents may utilize the KDL collection.
Throughout the summer, staff has seen numbers grow through various programs. The Meet Up and Eat Up program also has grown.
“It’s nice knowing that students have someplace to go so they don’t have to go hungry for the entire summer,” said KDL intern Diego Ulloa, who helps set up the program and distributes the food. Ulloa is a a graduate of East Kentwood High School and is currently attending Northern Michigan University.
Ulloa said in the afternoon, most of the students who stop are those heading to or from practice at the school. In fact, within the first 20 minutes of opening, he had distributed about 30 snacks with the students sharing their appreciation.
Residents are getting accustomed to the library being open and programs like Meet Up and Eat Up helps build that connection to the community the KDL Kellloggsviill branch serves, Zurgable said.
“For many of the families, it is kind of a bonus for coming in,” Zurgable said. “Get out of the heat, come to the library, read a few books and get a snack. It makes for a fun afternoon.”
