MISSOULA — The Missoula Public Library (MPL) is offering kids free meals on Fridays after school.
Because of food insecurity, some kids get their most nutritious meals during the week through school lunch.
"[The program] makes such a big difference because we're allowing youth to succeed in lots of ways by giving them meals, right? You need nourishment to learn. You need nourishment to have energy to do things," MPL Programming Librarian Xavier Kneedler-Shorten noted. "You need nourishment you know feel safe and secure."
That's why the library partnered with the Missoula Food Bank to give out brown paper bags filled with healthy foods like oranges, yogurt, nuts, and milk.
In the four weeks the program has been running this year, the library has helped lots of children.
"We've given away over 35 meals," Kneedler-Shorten said.
The library will be giving out meals on the second floor starting at 2:30 every Friday.
The program runs until mid-June and anyone 18 and under is welcome to stop by.
