Summertime is here. Kids are out of school and ready for fun. From today until June 3, Humanity House will be providing breakfast and lunch to any children who stop by. On June 3, the summer meals program offered at school will begin and run until July 31.
The summer meals program offered at school has a variety of locations and times to fit the needs of our community. With more than 60% of the children in our community qualifying for free or reduced meals at school, this program is crucial for our young people.
It is important to know that the survival of the program hinges on participation from children in the community. So dont hesitate to send kids down to the school, or one of the other locations, for breakfast or lunch or both to help keep the program running.
They can walk with their siblings or meet up with friends to go together and then hit the park for some play time. Summers should be filled with kids out exploring and making their own fun. We have an amazing trail system here where kids can explore and play for hours.
At Humanity House, we are always thinking of kids and their needs. Thats why well be bridging the gap in meal service for kids by providing breakfast and lunch at Humanity House from Monday until June 3 when the summer meal program kicks off. Both meals can be eaten inside, or we can make up a sack lunch so kids on the go can take it with them.
Sadly, there is no summer SAFEBASE program this year, but we are lucky to have Lydia Holloway providing some fun and educational afternoon activities. We have a new Beginners American Sign Language class starting Thursday that is perfect for kids of all ages who want to learn to communicate with those who are hearing impaired or just learn a new language.
There is always something going on at the Humanity House Community Garden. Kids can come to play in the giant dirt pile, or they can become a needed volunteer and learn some basic gardening skills while having fun. Kids are welcome to come inside to get out of the heat and practice their drawing skills, read books or play games. Since we have a kitchen, we could possibly be talked into making cookies with them.
There are lots of fun opportunities for kids here in our community. For some cost is prohibitive, but we also have a generous number of people and organizations looking out for kids.
Summer should be a time for learning some responsibilities at home. It should be a time to continue reading or exploring new ideas and learning. It should be a time when families play together a lot. Pick-up games of softball, fishing, bike riding, exploring, board games on a friends porch, nightcrawler hunting, jumping rope, just laying in the grass looking at the clouds, picking apples from a neighborhood tree, playing with a puppy, saving a baby bird, hanging out with friends and laughing, all of these and more are such an important part of being a happy kid.
For a schedule of happenings for kids at Humanity House or a class schedule, please call or drop by our office located at 110 East St. Do everything that you can to let this happen. For our children, kindness matters!
