The Cincinnati Public Library has partnered with local La Soupe — which rescues perishable produce to make meals for those in need — to distribute free food at several branch locations during the winter holiday and beyond.
“The holidays are stressful during the best of times, but the stresses of the pandemic make this season particularly difficult for many people,” says the library in a release. “Food insecurity has risen to unprecedented levels and is more prevalent when school is out of session.”
Prepared, frozen meals will be available for free on Dec. 22 at the following locations:
- 1-3 p.m. at the Reading branch (8740 Reading Road)
- 3-5 p.m. at the Avondale branch (3566 Reading Road)
- 3-5 p.m. at the Price Hill Rec Center (959 Hawthorne Ave.)
The limit is one meal per person — individual or family-sized — while supplies last and are available for all ages.
Meals will also be distributed at the following locations from 3-6 p.m. on Dec. 28:
- College Hill
- Deer Park
- Delhi Township
- Forest Park
- Greenhills
- Miami Township
- Mt. Washington
- West End
- Westwood
The partnership between La Soupe and the library will continue through January 2021, with weekly Monday food distribution. Find details at cincinnatilibrary.org/services/meals.
“This program was originally funded through the end of December, but funds are available to continue into 2021, with hopes to extend to April if more funding comes through,” says the library.
The library has also been providing Take & Make meal kits for kids, which will be available at the above food distribution events.
“So far this year, the Library has given out a little over 200,000 meals and snacks,” says a release.
And, in partnership with UMC Food Ministry, the library has been providing weekly Meal Boxes for kids. Each box includes seven dinners and seven snacks.
To be eligible for a Meal Box, children must be between 1 and 18 years old (or 19 to 21 and identified as having mental or physical disabilities and are following Individualized Education Programs).
Meal Box pick-up takes place 3-5 p.m. Mondays at the following locations (note: youths do not have to be present with their family to claim a box):
- Downtown Main Library
- Avondale
- Bond Hill
- Corryville
- Covedale
- Elmwood Place
- Groesbeck
- Madisonville
- Mt. Healthy
- North Central
- Northside
- Norwood
- Pleasant Ridge
- Reading
- St. Bernard
- Walnut Hills
- West End
- Westwood
There will be no UMC Meal Boxes distributed on Dec. 28, so the Dec. 21 boxes will have extra meals and snacks.
Get more details at cincinnatilibrary.org/services/meals.
This article appears in The Holiday Issue.