Cobb County Public Library distributed the following announcement:

Breakfast and lunch meals will be served free of charge to children weekdays in June and July in three Cobb County public libraries.

Happy Helpings, Georgia’s Summer Food Service Program, will provide the nutritious meals through the local partnership of Cobb County Public Library (CCPL) and Georgia Educational Resources Inc. (GERI) for the sixth year. Happy Helpings is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and administered by the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning.

The meals will be offered three days per week on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last at South Cobb Regional Library, 805 Clay Road, Mableton 30126; North Cobb Regional Library, 3535 Old 41 Highway, Kennesaw 30144; and Gritters Library, 880 Shaw Park Rd., Marietta 30066.

Meals will be served at the South Cobb Library on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, breakfast 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and lunch from 11:30 a.m. to noon. The schedule for North Cobb Library is Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays with breakfast 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and lunch noon to 12:30 p.m. No meals will be served Friday, July 4.

Meals will be available at Gritters Library on some Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, breakfast 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and lunch from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. To confirm the availability of Happy Helpings at Gritters Library, call 770-528-2524.

Prepared by a local county-inspected commercial kitchen, the meals are free for children ages 18 and younger. Adults 19 years and older who are enrolled in school programs for persons with disabilities will also receive meals. Parents and caregivers must remain with the children during the meals.

“Cobb library workers are committed to community partnerships addressing barriers to learning and play, including food insecurity and other challenges many families confront,” said Terri Tresp, CCPL Division Director Branch Services. “The Happy Helpings meals are served in comfortable, cool settings that give families an opportunity to meet their neighbors and learn about connecting to Summer Reading programs across the county.” 

For information on the Happy Helpings program and children’s food insecurity in Georgia, visit happyhelpingsga.com. For information on summertime programs and resources offered by Cobb libraries, visit cobbcat.org.