By Kim King, Youth Services Coordinator

Priestley Forsyth Memorial Library in Northumberland, Pennsylvania is located in a small town in Northumberland County. The library serves a population of 7,500. In 2015 we started offering the Summer Lunch Program at the library. It has been extremely well received. Many of the families in the area work in manufacturing employment, which has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Priestley Forsyth wanted to help youth in our community. We contacted the Greater Susquehanna Valley YMCA Milton Branch. the sponsor we had previously worked with. They were happy to provide lunches. Families could come to the library this summer and pick up a week’s worth of food and snacks. The reason for this is that families could have a lunch and only had to stop once during the week. Milk was also provided. Many parents and caregivers have expressed their thankfulness and how the lunches helped their children to cope with their new normal. We provided take home activities such as coloring sheets, word finds, and notices of other community events in the lunch bags. We even had Spiderman visit us!

Being a part of a solution to families is what we are all about.