Getting Started

Email the Lunch at the Library team at any point in the process.  We are here to assist with questions about how to start your program, how to connect with partners, details on the grant opportunity, and any other support. 

Step 1: Consider community needs and wants, as well as your library’s strengths and limitations.

Carry out a careful assessment of your library’s capacity and the community’s needs. Be sure to include all relevant staff members, hear all voices, and consider a variety of perspectives.

Some things to consider include:

  • What are your staffing needs or limits? Keep in mind that much of the work related to meal service can be handled by volunteers. For more on volunteers see the Furthering Your Impact page.
  • What space in or around your library might be used for Lunch at the Library? Be creative and flexible with the space you have. Is your library close to an existing meal site?  For more on previous meal sites in your area see the California Department of Education’s Summer Meal Service Sites.
  • If your library system has multiple locations, which location is the most easily accessible to the community?
  • What partnerships could help to support your program?  For partnership ideas see the page Furthering Your Impact.

Step 2: Check If Your Library is Eligible to Become a Summer Meal Site

If you are planning to serve U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) meals at the library, you must confirm site eligibility for each of your library meal sites as a part of the application process.

Each summer meal site must qualify to participate using either school or census data.

  • To qualify using school data, use the California Department of Education’s most recent data to confirm 50 percent or more students receive Free and Reduced Price Meals for any school’s within the boundaries for your library’s address.
  • To qualify using census data, your library must be within a Census Block Group in which at least 50 percent of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches.

For help confirming your eligibility, please email the Lunch at the Library Team the potential library meal site’s address.

Note:  If you find that your library is not eligible to be a summer meal site, you can provide pop-up libraries at other meal sites in your community, as described below.

Outreach booth with staff.

Step 3: Contact the Lunch at the Library team to connect your library with a local USDA meal sponsor

The summer meal sponsor, often a school district, city/county agency, or nonprofit organization, acts as the administrative and fiscal agent for the program. The sponsor provides the meals that are served at the site. The meal service must comply with requirements specified by USDA and the CDE.

To identify potential meal sponsors in your community, contact the Lunch at the Library team for assistance.  You can also reach out to:   

Step 4: Determine which format will work best for your community.

Lunch staff preparing meals.

Library Meal Site

Typically, libraries that offer summer meals operate as USDA summer meal sites, a physical location where the meals are served.  Summer meal sites do not have to pay for the meals served. Meal sponsors receive reimbursement from the USDA for the meals delivered to meal sites.

As a summer meal site, a library:

  • Receives, handles, and serves meals
  • Creates a welcoming and enriching space for families
  • Monitors food to ensure it complies with regulations
  • Maintains and supplies accurate records
  • Promotes the meal site with signage outside the library and in the community
  • Ensures staff and volunteers are fully trained in implementing the program
  • Implements USDA policy that all meals are free to all children and teens but not accompanying adults, and adheres to USDA’s non-discrimination policy

Library locations which do not qualify to become a summer meal site can instead visit local sites serving USDA meals.

As a pop-up library at a community meal site, a library:

  • Provides enrichment services to youth and families receiving meals
  • Collects data on meals served from meal sponsor
  • Promotes meals with signage and marketing

Step 5: Apply for the Lunch at the Library grant.

Applications open in the fall and will run from February through January each year.