Free summer lunches and activities for kids

CLEVELAND - The 2010 citywide Summer Fun program for Cleveland's youth started Monday.

The program allows for free lunches and activities for children and is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In 2009, the city of Cleveland served more than 105,000 meals to youth throughout the city and this year's expectations are similar.

Free summer lunch will be offered at all 21 city of Cleveland recreation centers, all Cleveland public libraries and other partnering locations throughout the city. Free lunches will also be available at city staffed playground starting on June 21.

“Many of our children rely on the meals they receive at school, we want to ensure that they continue to have easy access to nutritious meals throughout the summer months,” said Mayor Frank Jackson.  “In addition to the free meals, we will continue to provide a broad range of programs for children of all ages at no cost to them or their families to help ensure they remain safe, healthy and happily occupied throughout the summer.”

Kids who show up for free lunches will be invited back for arts and crafts, overnight camps, performing arts and sports - including golf lessons and baseball for all age groups.

This year’s partners in the lunch program include the Children’s Hunger Alliance, which helped identify sites and does marketing for the program as well as the Jewish Federation of Greater Cleveland which is recruiting, training and providing volunteers for all Cleveland Public Library lunch sites and will also read and do activities with children having lunch.

The city’s outdoor pools will open June 19 each Wednesday through Saturday. Pools will also open on Mondays and Tuesdays when temperatures rise above 85 degrees. 

For more information about all free summer fun activities, including lunch sites, call Cleveland’s Division of Recreation at 216-664-2561.

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