GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) — On June 6th, School District 51’s mobile summer food program, the Lunch Lizard will be kicking off its eighth summer of service. Aside from a break the week of July 4-7, the program will run Monday through Thursday each week through July 28, 2022.
Lunch Lizard provides free meals to any child younger than 18. Kids can pick meals up at stops on the Lunch Lizard route and are not required to consume them on-site. Meals will be provided in a “grab & go” style. On Thursday’s either The Food Bank of the Rockies or Kids Aid will accompany the Lunch Lizard to offer take-home food for the weekend.
One route will serve Grand Junction and Orchard Mesa while a second will serve the Clifton area. Stops and schedules are subject to change after the first few days depending on participation. You can visit bit.ly/lunchlizard to see the most up-to-date route stops and times.
Not only will D51 have two food trucks bringing free meals to the families of Mesa County, but they’ll also be serving meals at eight of its schools. Fruitvale, Mesa View, Orchard Avenue, Pear Park, Rocky Mt., and Thunder Mt. elementary schools will have meals served in their cafeteria Monday through Thursday from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM starting June 6 and running to June 30. The same will take place at East and West middle schools starting June 6 and running through July 28.
About the Lunch Lizard
The Lunch Lizard program serves meals reimbursed through the USDA’s Summer Food Service Program. Meals are free to any child 18 or younger, regardless of free/reduced-price meal eligibility or whether they attend D51 schools during the school year. Over the years, the program has been made possible through the generosity of the Western Colorado Community Foundation, Food Bank of the Rockies, Kids Aid, Rocky Mountain Health Plans, Alpine Bank, Grand Junction Lions Club, Share Our Strength/No Kid Hungry, and students at Colorado Mesa University and Independence Academy.
Complete the Fleet
As part of their ongoing support of the Lunch Lizard program, the Western Colorado Community Foundation is running a Complete the Fleet fundraising campaign to raise $100,000 from the community to help purchase a new food truck for the Lunch Lizard program. To learn more, visit https://wc-cf.org.
