Decorah’s Kids Lunch Club is seeing record participation

Decorah, Iowa – Many families use summer lunch programs to help make up for the meal their children would typically receive at school while they are not in school.

”There are 100% no requirements,” said Shanna Putnam Dibble, Kids Lunch Club Director.

Shanna Putnam Dibble has been the coordinator of Decorah’s Kids Lunch Club for the last three years. The program provides free lunch to children all summer long.

”Students and families that during the summer months, when they don’t have access to free and reduced lunches at school, just didn’t have the food that they needed,” said Putnam Dibble.

Youngsters can select between a main dinner, a side dish, fresh fruit and vegetables, and even breakfast to go the following morning.

Putnam Dibble, the coordinator of Decorah’s only summer lunch program, reported that despite rising grocery costs, more individuals are attending lunch.

”We know that at the school district that I work for our free and reduced numbers are increasing. There is more of a need. Groceries are so expensive these days and we just have more in families that want to get out and get together as well in addition to those food needs,” she said.

Just last year, Emily Kullen and her family relocated to Decorah.

She added that it’s been a terrific way to get to know the neighborhood they moved to in addition to being a great source of nutritious food for her children.

”A big part of it, obviously, is the free lunches, but it’s a great family and community, just event and we get to meet other families, meet other kids and it just makes us feel more connected to the people around us,” said Kullen.

Putnam Dibble noted that the demand for volunteers is at an all-time high due to the rise in families enrolling in the program.

”Last year, I’d have four to six packers and we would be just fine. But now really volunteering to help pack is essential because it takes a lot to pack that 500 to 600 lunches a week,” said Putnam Dibble.
But Putnam Dibble remarked that seeing contented, healthy children during the summer makes it all worthwhile.

”And just to get to see those kids and make sure every single day, every kid that wants it is getting a lunch and a smile is huge. It’s astronomical,” she said.