Johnson County's summer lunch programs provide meals to hundreds of children each day.
Here's everything you need to know about the various area programs. from Iowa City to North Liberty and everywhere in between:
Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County's 'Lunch Bunch'
Where: St Andrew Presbyterian Church, 140 Gathering Place Lane, Iowa City
Who: Anyone under 18 is eligible, regardless of where they live
The Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County serve up free summer lunches as part of the "Lunch Bunch" program from early June through mid-August.
Children are offered food from each of the five food groups and may choose whatever items they want. The group said in a June newsletter that kids may also help themselves to seconds, thirds, or more if they are still hungry.
In 2023, the program served more than 2,500 meals — providing lunch for an average of 58 children per day.
Community members can sign up for day-long or week-long volunteering commitments. The day-long "helpers" commit to a roughly two-hour set-up, service and clean-up process.
Iowa City's fare-free transit buses do not serve the area around St. Andrew.
The program is entirely community-funded thanks to a partnership between the Neighborhood Centers and St. Andrew Presbyterian Church.
Coralville Summer Lunch Program
When: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, through Aug. 16.
Where: Coralville Community Food Pantry, 804 13th Avenue, Coralville
Who: Anyone 18 and under in the Coralville area
Coralville's Summer Lunch program provides a wide variety of lunches and accompanying summer activities. No prior registration is required.
From Tuesday to Thursday each week, the pantry provides a lunch similar to those offered at school. On Fridays, area organizations or the food pantry's chef cook up unique lunches.
The pantry has served lunch from Olive Garden, Big Grove and Panchero's already this summer. Still to come are recurring guests, Slammin' Jammin' Wings n' Things, Barrett's and even Chick-Fil-A.
The pantry also collaborates with Johnson County Conservation, the Antelope Lending Library and various Coralville organizations, including the Library, Fire Department and Recreation Center. They join forces to offer various children's activities, which include the library's Tuesday Lunch n' Listen.
Coralville's 23-route bus service stops near the pantry during the week. The 23 route makes outbound and inbound stops every hour. The Coralville transit system is not fare-free.
North Liberty Summer Lunch and Fun
When: 11:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m., Monday through Friday, through Aug. 16, 2024. Activities also run from 12-1 p.m.
Where: Ranshaw House, 515 Community Drive, North Liberty
Who: Children 18 and under who live in North Liberty
North Liberty's summer lunch program mixes food with fun activities at the Ranshaw House, just off Penn Street.
North Liberty Outreach and Equity Coordinator Micah Ariel James told the Press-Citizen that the program distributes roughly 125 lunches per day. They served more than 5,500 meals last summer.
Community members can donate food or activities and crafts. Volunteers run the lunch program and assist in serving from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The North Liberty Community Pantry is a sponsor of the program, Executive Director Ryan Bobst told the Press-Citizen.
"The City of North Liberty has always been supportive of feeding our neighbors and supporting both the Pantry and the Summer Lunch and Fun program," he said. "NLCP is a sponsor of the City's Summer Lunch and Fun program, so that is a wonderful partnership for us to help children get meals during the summertime."
Other local snack offerings
Families looking for summer meals and snacks can also text "food" or "comida" to 304-304 for assistance in both English and Spanish.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture also provides a Summer Meal Site Finder on its website, complete with details about grab-and-go or eat-on-site meals and snacks and addresses.
The Iowa City Public Library is among those local snack spots, providing children with snacks between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. on summer weekdays through Aug. 9.
Ryan Hansen covers local government and crime for the Press-Citizen. He can be reached atrhansen@press-citizen.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ryanhansen01.
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