Summer Food Service Program
(or as we like to call it, Lunch Bunch Program)
Lunch Bunch Mission: Our goal is to provide youth, ages 18 and under, a positive place with engaged adults and student leaders who provide healthy and delicious lunches, enrichment activities, and community for an hour a day, Monday through Friday, during each week of the summer to foster friendships and mentorships.
We will resume "Lunch Bunch" on Monday, May 22, 2023 from 11:30-12:30 at the Lincoln Creek Trail Head just off of McCullough Lane. The Marquette "Lunch Bunch" Program will also resume Monday, May 22, 2023 with pick up at the park from 11:30-12:15. This program is for Hamilton County youth up to 18 years old.
In 2023, we will be extending our program to Central City in Merrick County with the help of some great volunteers! Our Lunch Bunch Program will begin in Central City on Monday, May 22, 2023 providing school ends the week prior. We will serve from 11:30-12:15 p.m. daily at the picinic shelter at South Park.
What is it?
That's easy: free food and FUN
Who can be involved?
Youth ages 0-18, but the whole family is invited! You do not need to meet a specific financial qualification to be in this program. If you are 18 or younger, if you happen to near a location of one of our programs, you are more than welcome to attend!
When is it?
Aurora: 11:30-12:30, Monday-Friday during summer months
Marquette: 11:30-12:15, Monday- Friday during the summer months.
Central City: 11:30-12:15, Monday- Friday during the summer months.
*Neither program will serve on Memorial Day or July 4th.
How does it work?
In Aurora: Walk, drive, skate, skip, or even cartwheel to the trailhead to grab a sack lunch.
In Marquette: Walk, drive, skate, skip or do the silly dance all the way to the park!
In Central City: Ride your bike, walk, ride in car, skip, or even walk like a crab all the way to the park!
THIS YEAR all participants must stay and eat their lunches at the site. We are no longer allowed to do grab & go lunches per the USDA SFSP guidelines. We know this is a big change for many given that the last two years, you could do grab & go. We are strictly prohibited from allowing participants to take perishable food offsite. We hope you'll understand and stay to enjoy your lunch. We will offer some kind of enrichment activities every day as well. Often times, St. John's Lutheran Church-Kronberg, who helps us facilitate meal handout, will have grab and go veggies from their community garden too!
We'll be back serving lunches on May 22nd, 2023 at alll 3 locations!
While sign-up is not required, if you’d like to make sure we prepare enough, leave us a message at 402-694-3934 or at info@tlcaurora.org. We will publish menus on Monday’s on The Leadership Center’s Facebook page.
This program is offered in partnership with Prairie Plains Resource Institute, Hamilton County 4-H, Heartbeets Garden, the Aurora Mall, TLC’s D4LC programs and made possible by grants from the Heartland United Way and several private donations.
For details on this program including sponsorship, offering enrichment programs and more, call Maile at The Leadership Center. (402)694-3934
Click here to see more on how we got involved.
