San Diego Free Summer Lunch Initiative
San Diego Public Library
Innovation Synopsis
In 2023, the San Diego Public Library (SDPL) launched the Free Summer Lunch Initiative in partnership with the San Diego Unified School District, funded by the State of California’s Lunch at the Library grant. While summer lunch programs are common nationwide, SDPL introduced innovative strategies to enhance equity and accessibility, aiming to combat summer youth hunger and provide meaningful learning opportunities to structurally excluded communities.
The program featured two main components: weekly library lunch service and outreach visits to community meal sites. SDPL went beyond the traditional approach to summer lunch programming and brought innovation to it with its San Diego Summer Lunch Awareness Campaign and offering shuttle services for unhoused families.
This initiative had a profound impact. Through a county-wide coalition, lunch attendance increased by 10% county-wide, and ensured that San Diego youth have access to essential nutrition and learning opportunities.
Challenge/Opportunity
The 2023 Free Summer Lunch Initiative addressed food insecurity among San Diego's most vulnerable communities. According to Feeding San Diego, about 100,000 youth in the county face food insecurity during the summer months when school is out. This issue has been worsened by inflation, which has increased food costs while wages remain stagnant. At the same time, San Diego is experiencing a literacy crisis exacerbated by the Covid Pandemic. According to the 2022 CA Reading Report Card, only 38% of students in low-income communities of color are reading at grade level.
To support summer food access and learning, SDPL applied for the Lunch at the Library Grant. This was a key opportunity, as this was the first year the state offered a competitive grant for innovative ideas. SDPL utilized their grant funding to develop their core and innovation programs. Additionally, SDPL utilized the city’s Internship program to provide job experience to BIPOC young adults.
Key Elements of Innovation
SDPL’s innovation lay in the creation of a visionary San Diego Summer Lunch Awareness Campaign. The bilingual (English/Spanish) campaign promoted all meal sites county-wide through social media, print media, radio, and various community ads, including bus benches, billboards, and public transportation. The campaign’s success was fueled by strategic partnerships with local school districts, library systems, non-profits, marketing vendors, and other city departments such as Parks and Recreation, Environmental Services, Office of Child and Youth Success, and the Homeless Strategies Unit. SDPL intentionally worked with City Communications to provide bilingual translation and interpretation for the campaign and programming. Additionally, SDPL developed a daily shuttle service for unhoused families to and from their downtown Central Library lunch site. These innovations led to a 10% increase in attendance county-wide and laid the foundation for effect collaboration across San Diego.
Achieved Outcomes
The Free Summer Lunch Initiative made a significant impact, with outcomes assessed through comprehensive data. The findings revealed that 53% of participants were first-time library visitors, who gained new knowledge and expressed enthusiasm about returning. SDPL provided thousands of meals and hosted hundreds of programs. However, the true success of the initiative lay in the awareness campaign, which played a crucial role in increasing attendance and addressing summer youth hunger.
While the numbers offers valuable insights, the human connections fostered through this initiative are equally important. SDPL gained a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by its patrons and identified new ways to support them. This initiative not only strengthened community bonds but also inspired collective action for the common good—a vital foundation for future efforts to support unaccompanied youth. SDPL has redefined the role of libraries in enhancing community health and wellness.
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