Summer Lunch Program continues to help students
By Nathaniel Weixel Contributing Writer
Marlborough - For the second year in a row, children in Marlborough who are eligible for a free or reduced lunch during the school year can still receive that nutrition during the summer.

Andrew West, 9

The Summer Lunch Program, which began last summer and was operated through the Boys & Girls Club, was such a success that it has expanded. Instead of offering meals to children twice a week, the program now runs three days a week. It also distributes lunches to more locations than just the Boys & Girls Club.

The program is still run entirely by volunteers, who donate an hour every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning to stuff brown bags with sandwiches, fruit, a snack and a drink. The program was formerly run from the basement of the Unitarian Church in Marlborough, but has since moved to the basement of the new Metro Church.

Peggy Ayres, the chair of the Youth Commission and one of the program's organizers, said the new location is more suitable for the increased scope of the program.

"It's a bigger space, it's cleaner, and there's more storage area," Ayers said.

Andrew West, 9, of Marlborough, wraps and bags a bologna sandwich for the Marlborough Summer Lunch program June 27. Last year in its inaugural summer, volunteers made more than 2,000 lunches. They hope to top that this year.

Laura Wagner, the main organizer of the program, said another key new development is that Price Chopper donates all the food for the lunches. In the past, some fund-raising had to be done for food. Now, Wagner said, all fundraising goes towards nonfood items, like gloves and lunch bags.

Since the program just started up again June 25, Ayres said, it hasn't built up to its fullest potential yet.

"We're not at full speed yet," Ayers said. "We're still waiting to build up kids, still getting numbers in of how many need lunches."

Last summer, the program served lunches to more than 2,000 kids over the course of nine weeks. Ayers said they're hoping to increase that number.

Aside from the Boys & Girls Club, Ayers said lunches would be distributed to school summer programs, summer camps and anyone else who requested them.

"If people are looking for lunches, or if anyone knows someone who is looking, we'll help," Ayers said.

Ayers said one in every four students in Marlborough signed up for free or reduced lunches last year, which is why it's important to keep the summer program running. Wagner said the program was necessary to substantiate those numbers.

"It validated that there really was a need," Wagner said. "It can show that people really need it."