We understand that it is difficult for people to learn when they are hungry. When people are busy worrying about where their, or their children’s, next meal will come from, they don’t have the time or energy to spend building literacy skills or searching for a job or helping their children in school. Furthermore, a lack of grocery stores and other easily accessible sources of nutritious foods places further barriers to having the time to spend with family – time that could be spent in a fun, educational and engaging way.

We understand that hunger affects learning; children are not able to concentrate on lessons and hungry adults are not able to take advantage of learning opportunities. By reducing the anxiety and stress that comes with hunger, we are enabling our patrons to fully participate in the services the Library can offer to enrich their minds.

The Mobile Produce Program works in addition to the Summer Lunches, After-School Snacks and KidsCafe (evening meal) programs already offered at Library branches through our partnership with the Greater Cleveland Foodbank. This program concentrates distributions on fresh produce and other nutritious frozen and perishable foods, including frozen vegetables, fresh eggs, milk and yogurt and meat. These whole foods are much more nutritious than the processed canned foods many hunger programs and food pantries distribute.