Kids Lunch Club experiences growth in its second year

Kids Lunch Club, the free summer lunch program for Decorah area kids, is off to a great start this year, according to program director Kathryn Thompson.

The program debuted in 2016 as a result of the collaborative efforts of several representatives from the local faith community, school district, city, nonprofit and business community. The purpose of the Kids Lunch Program is to meet the needs of the estimated 150 students in the Decorah area who go without a reliable lunch source during the summer months. Now in its second year, Kids Lunch Club provides a free sack lunch to children under the age of 18 in the Decorah area each weekday during the summer.

Decorah area students are invited to stop by John Cline Elementary School or Freeport Park to pick up a grab-and-go sack lunch which also includes breakfast for the next morning. Kids Lunch Club director Kathryn Thompson says she has noticed a significant increase in the number of participants this summer, and she attributes the increase to the addition of the distribution center in Freeport. Thompson says, "We have been distributing an average of 25 lunches/day between the two locations so far this summer. That's a nice increase from last year."

The Kids Lunch Program is an almost entirely volunteer-based program. Volunteers pack lunches two days a week, and distribute the lunches five days a week. Volunteers pack lunches at noon on Sundays at Decorah Congregational UCC, and at 5:00 p.m. Tuesdays at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. Volunteers distribute the lunches Monday through Friday at John Cline Elementary School from noon until 12:30 p.m. and at the Freeport Park from 12:45 p.m. until 1:00 p.m. 

To learn more about the Kids Lunch Program, to make a donation, or to sign up to volunteer, please visit decorahkidslunchclub.org