Snohomish Schools Offers Free Summer Meal Program, Book Café

SNOHOMISH, WA — To help out local families who may struggle with food security, the Snohomish School District will offer free breakfasts and lunches throughout the summer for youth aged 18 years and younger. The district's free summer meal program is set to start next week.

Beginning Wednesday, June 26, and continuing through Aug. 30, the school district will host the free meals at Snohomish High School and other various locations via its Mobile Kids Café. No registration is required, according to district spokeswoman Kristin Foley. All the hungry kid needs to do is show up at the allotted time at the location nearest them to get their grub on.

According to Snohomish County's 2019 Point in Time (PIT) count of homeless and at-risk citizens in the area, nearly 200 kids from 105 different families were identified as homeless, living either sheltered or unsheltered in the region; another 35 homeless youths were counted alone — apparently without an adult present in their lives — bringing the total number of homeless kids living in either emergency or transitional housing, or directly on the street, to 234.

Overall, the number of unsheltered individuals counted (adults and youth) in Snohomish County saw a 58 percent increase from 2018. And with the annual PIT count occurring in January, there is a possibility those numbers could increase during warmer summer months.

Check out the schedule below to get a free breakfast and/or lunch (all locations are based in the city of Snohomish):

• Snohomish High School — 1316 Fifth St.
  • Breakfast - 8:30 to 9 a.m.
  • Lunch - 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
• Snohomish Boys and Girls Club — 402 Second St.
  • Mobile Kids Café breakfast - 8:30-9 a.m.
  • Lunch - 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
• Three Rivers Mobile Home Park — 13201 Elliott Rd.
  • Mobile Kids Café lunch - 11:15 to 11:30 a.m.
• Circle H Mobile Home Park — 6413 123rd Ave. S.E.
  • Mobile Kids Café lunch - 12 to 12:15 p.m.
• Snohomish Aquatic Center - 516 Maple Ave.
  • Mobile Kids Café lunch - 12:30 to 12:45 p.m.

The free summer meal program will not be available for the July 4 holiday.

In addition to the free summer meal program, the county is also offering a free Book Café, which delivers free books for kids to read throughout the summer.

The mobile Book Café will visit the following locations on Mondays and Tuesdays from July 1 through Aug. 20:

Mondays

• Snohomish Boys and Girls Club — 402 Second St.
  • 9:45 a.m.
• Three Rivers Mobile Home Park — 1302 Elliott Rd.
  • 11 a.m.

Tuesdays

• Plantation Mobile Home Park — 9425 56th St. S.E.
  • 10:45 a.m.
• Snohomish Mobile Home Park — 1330 Avenue D
  • 11:15 a.m.
• Circle H Mobile Home Park — 6413 123rd Ave. S.E.
  • 11:45 a.m.
• Snohomish Aquatic Center — 516 Maple Ave.
  • 12:15 p.m.

Several Snohomish School District libraries will also open between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. every Tuesday from July 2 to Aug. 20:

• Cascade View Elementary
• Dutch Hill Elementary
• Machias Elementary
• Riverview Elementary
• Little Cedars Elementary
• Seattle Hill Elementary
• Totem Falls Elementary

For more information on the free summer meal program or the Book Café, visit www.sno.wednet.edu/kidscafebookcafe.

And to learn more about the county's annual PIT count, including how you can volunteer to help, visit snohomishcountywa.gov/Point-In-Time.