The Free Summer Lunch for Kids and Teens has been available again this summer, but there are changes. This is the program in which five churches (Christ UMC, St. Stephens UCC, Our Saviour’s Lutheran, Trinity Lutheran and St. John’s Lutheran) partner to provide a lunch to kids in the community who do not have access to lunch when school is on summer break. Because of restrictions brought on by COVID-19, we are handling this program differently this year.
The program will run through Friday, August 28.
We are not serving the meals in the park as in the past. Instead, Christ United Methodist Church is the central location for all of the meals to be picked up by the child or a parent. No meals will be eaten on site. The child is expected to eat at home. Some of the meals may need to be heated up. Meal pick up is available from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Monday thru Friday in the parking lot of Christ UMC. Each of the five churches still provides the meals on their assigned day of the week. They just operate from Christ UMC.
The Community Food Pantry of Merrill has provided certain items for the meals each day, such as the juice drink or other beverage, granola bars or snack items, string cheese and fruit cups. This is a great savings for the churches and a wonderful partnership with the Food Pantry.
No sign-up is necessary to participate in this program. The child or parent just needs to come to the Christ Church parking lot on Third Street near the intersection of Mill Street, Monday through Friday, between 11:30am and 12:30pm to receive their bag lunch.
We hope you have had a healthy and happy summer!