NORFOLK — For the fourth year in a row, the Norfolk Public Library is partnering with Norfolk Public Schools’ Department of School Nutrition to serve free meals for children, officials said in a news release.
During the summer, eight neighborhood branches will be serving lunch, and the downtown Slover Library will offer breakfast and lunch.
The Summer Meals Program is open to all children 18 and younger, and no enrollment is necessary ─ just show up to a feeding site during serving times to participate.
Nutritious meals are provided by NPS’ Department of Nutrition, and last summer, the Library served a total of 556 breakfasts and 5,710 lunches to children, officials said.
“Norfolk Public Library believes in taking care of our children to help them become lifelong learners,” said Norfolk’s Director of Public Libraries Sonal Rastogi. “We believe that healthy children equal lifelong learning, and to achieve this goal, we have partnered with NPS to ensure that children are getting the nutrition they need during the summer months.”
Below is a list and schedule of NPL’s Summer Meals Program participating locations.
Residents can also text ‘FOOD’ to 877-877 to find free summer meals near them.
| Library Branch | Meal | Day | Time |
| Barron F. Black | Lunch | Friday | Noon – 1 p.m. |
| Blyden | Lunch | Monday – Friday | 12:30 p.m. – 2 p.m. |
| H.C. Downing | Lunch | Friday | Noon – 2 p.m. |
| Janaf | Lunch | Friday | Noon – 1 p.m. |
| Jordan-Newby | Lunch | Friday | Noon – 2 p.m. |
| Lafayette | Lunch | Friday | 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. |
| Pretlow | Lunch | Monday – Friday | Noon – 1 p.m. |
| Slover | Breakfast | Monday – Friday | 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. |
| Slover | Lunch | Monday – Friday | 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. |
