Summer Lunch is Served!
WATSONVILLE, CA – The annual Summer Lunch program, sponsored by La Manzana Community Resources (LMCR), a program of Community Bridges, will kick off on Monday, June 6.
Kids can pick up a FREE lunch at sites in Santa Cruz and Watsonville through mid-August. Santa Cruz sites open through July 29 and most Watsonville sites open through August 12.
“No child should have to worry about whether they will have enough to eat while school is out,” said Mayra Melendrez, Family Resource Center Program Director. “Ensuring our community’s kids have a good lunch means they can enjoy a happier, healthier, more active summer and a better start to the school year in the fall.”
Through Community Bridges, the Summer Lunch program served more than 17,000 meals last year. Community Bridges seeks to ensure no child goes hungry throughout the year with other agency programs like our Child & Adult Care Food Program, which supports eligible child or adult daycare providers with the costs of providing healthy food to their household or the people in their care.
A combination of federal, state, and local funding supports most of the Summer Lunch Program costs. But approximately 30% of the cost of this program is covered through donations. Those interested in making an individual donation to support the program may do so by visiting communitybridges.org/donate and selecting “La Manzana Community Resource Center” Other programs are also available for individual donations at that link. Those interested in volunteering to help serve lunches, or to support any of our other programs, should visit communitybridges.org/volunteer.
Free meals will be provided to all children 0-18, without eligibility documentation, at the following sites from 12PM-1PM, Monday through Friday. Serving dates are June 6 – August 12.
- Stone Creek Apartments; 300 Bree Ln, Watsonville, CA 95076
- La Manzana Community Resources; 521 Main St. Watsonville, CA 9507
- Corralitos Creek; 125 Pajaro Circle. Freedom, CA 95019
- YWCAof Watsonville; 340 E. Beach St. Watsonville, CA 95076
- Vista Verde Apartments; 45 Steward Ave. Freedom, CA 95019
Free meals will be provided Tuesday through Thursday only, 12PM – 1PM. Serving dates are June 7 through August 11.
- Pajaro Park; 27 San Juan Road, Watsonville, CA 95076
Free meals will be provided Monday through Friday, 12PM – 1PM. Serving dates are June 6 through August 5.
- Boys and Girls Club of Santa Cruz; 543 Center Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Free meals will be provided Monday through Friday 12PM – 1PM. Serving dates are June 6 through July 29.
- Nueva Vista at Beach Flats Park; 131 Leibrandt Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
- Nueva Vista – Familia; 711 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Free meals will be provided Monday through Friday 12PM – 1PM. Serving dates are June 21 through July 29.
- Sunny Meadows; 220 Ross Ave, Freedom, CA 95019
- Schapiro Knoll Apartments; 33 Minto Rd. Watsonville, CA 95076
Free meals will be provided Monday through Friday 12PM – 1 PM. Serving dates are June 21 through August 12.
- Pippin Orchards; 56 Atkinson Lane, Watsonville, CA 95076
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
ABOUT LA MANZANA COMMUNITY RESOURCES
The compassionate and knowledgeable staff at La Manzana Community Resources (LMCR) offer a warm, friendly, safe place for the South County community to access resources that offer stability and hope for the future. Bi-lingual and bi-cultural advocacy services meet the long and short-term needs of families at no or low cost. LMCR helps our community access benefits and resources such as housing, employment, healthcare, disability, unemployment, immigration, mental health counseling, literacy education, youth tutoring, substance abuse recovery, domestic violence prevention, nutrition, and child care. LMCR is part of Community Bridges Family Resource Collective.
ABOUT COMMUNITY BRIDGES
Community Bridges envisions a thriving community where every person has the opportunity to unleash their full potential. Together, our family of programs delivers essential services, provides equitable access to resources, and advocates for health and dignity across every stage of life. To learn more, please visit www.communitybridges.org.
The Community Bridges family of programs includes the Child & Adult Care Food Program, Early Education Division, Women, Infants and Children (WIC), La Manzana Community Resources, Live Oak Community Resources, Mountain Community Resources, Nueva Vista Community Resources, Elderday Adult Day Health Care, Lift Line and Meals on Wheels for Santa Cruz County.
