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 7.
Kids can pick up a FREE lunch at sites in Santa Cruz and Watsonville through mid-August. Santa Cruz sites open through August 6 and most Watsonville sites open through August 13.
“No child should have to worry about whether they will have enough to eat while school is out,” said Mayra Melendrez, LMCR Program Manager. “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 daily:
Swipe left or right to see the whole table.
| Boys and Girls Club of Santa Cruz | 543 Center St., Santa Cruz, CA 95060 | June 7 – Aug. 6, 2021 |
| Sycamore St. Apartments | 125 Sycamore St., Santa Cruz, CA 95060 | June 7 – Aug. 6, 2021 |
| YWCA | 340 E. Beach St., Watsonville, CA 95076 | June 7 – Aug. 6, 2021 |
| Nueva Vista Beach Flats Park | 131 Liebrandt Ave., Santa Cruz, CA 95060 | June 7 – Aug. 6, 2021 |
| La Manzana Community Resources | 521 Main St. Watsonville, CA 95076 | June 7 – Aug. 13, 2021 |
| Stone Creek Apartments | 300 Bree Ln, Watsonville, CA 95076 | June 7 – Aug. 13, 2021 |
| Vista Verde Apartments | 45 Steward Ave., Freedom, CA 95019 | June 7 – Aug. 13, 2021 |
| Corralitos Creek Apartments | 125 Pajaro Circle, Freedom, CA 95019 | June 7 – Aug. 13, 2021 |
| Pajaro Park Apartments | 27 San Juan Road, Watsonville, CA 95076 | June 7 – Aug. 13, 2021 |
| Sunny Meadows Apartments | 220 Ross Ave, Freedom, CA 95019 | June 21 – July 30, 2021 |
| Pippin Orchards Apartments | 56 Atkinson Lane, Watsonville, CA 95076 | June 21 – July 30, 2021 |
| Schapiro Knoll Apartments | 33 Minto Rd. Watsonville, CA 95076 | June 21 – July 30, 2021 |
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, Child Development 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.
Media: Jayme Ackemann
(831) 688-8840 ext 285
jaymea@cbridges.com
