Resources
Contact Us
Lunch at the Library Team, can be reached at lunch@library.ca.gov
Listserv
The Lunch at the Library listserv is available for library staff to ask questions and share ideas and information about offering summer meal programs.
To be added to the list, please email us at lunch@library.ca.gov with the subject “Listserv.”
Planning and Policies
- California Department of Education’s Summer Meal program: CDE resources, USDA guidance on summer meal services, and the map of summer meal sites and meal sponsors.
- Food Research and Action Center Summer Nutrition Programs: policies and resources on beginning and preparing for Summer Meals nationwide.
- Share Our Strength: No Kid Hungry Campaign Summer Meals: resources on starting a meal site, promoting and planning Summer lunches, serving meals year-round, and webinars highlighting best practices.
- Sun Meals To-Go: Summer Meal support for rural locations: information for USDA non-congregate (“grab and go”) summer meals.
- USDA SUN Meals (Summer Food Service Program): information on how libraries can get involved in summer meals, SFSP resources including an SFSP handbooks and webinar recordings.
- USDA Flickr: nutrition service stock photos for non-profit use.
- USDA Capacity Builder: allows users to visualize “layers” of information to identify location for new sites and partners.
Programming Support
- CalFresh Healthy Living: healthy recipes and activities for families.
- USDA ChooseMyPlate: activities, games, and resources.
- USDA Summer Food, Summer Moves Resource Kit: hands-on resource kit including activity guide, posters, flyers, placemat recipes, and other resources.
Farm to Summer Support
- California Department of Food and Agriculture Office of Farm to Fork: connections to California Farmers’ and ranchers and resources about local agriculture.
- California Grown: resource for seasonal California foods, recipes, and seasonal guides.
- Community Alliance with Family Farmers: A directory of local California Farmers.
- LifeLab: garden based education and learning resources
- First Nations Organization: Farm to School resources for Native American communities.
- National Farm to School Network: resources to help increase access to local food and nutrition education.
- USDA Farm to School: information on USDA Farm to School efforts, ideas, and research.
Food Resources in Your Community
- CA Meals for Kids Mobile app: find nearby California Afterschool and Summer Meal Programs Sites through iOS, Android, or Microsoft devices. The Emergency Meal Sites section may be used during unanticipated school closures due to emergency situations.
- California Association of Food Banks: lists California food bank locations.
- Feeding America: lists Feeding America food bank locations