Jefferson Community Center & Park Offers Free Lunch and More to the Community

The Jefferson Community Center and Park in Eureka has been serving up free lunch throughout summer. Although they are set to wrap up soon you still have some time to bring your kids out to lunch and see what else the center has to offer

The Jefferson Center’s free summer lunch program (A USDA nutrition program) has been feeding the youth each week. 

Food Director, Chelsea Sterling, has been working at the center for almost 8 years now and says that the food program has been a wonderful experience. 

“We make healthy meals. We try to use as much local produce as we can,” Sterling said. “A lot of kids rely on school lunches during the school year, so when the schools are closed, they don’t have that food.”

Not only does it offer free food to local youth, but a variety of resources for families in need.

“We have a first five playgroup for kids under five years old and parents to come in and kind of socialize with other kids and parents; we do have a limited diaper program where we can give families who qualify a monthly supply of diapers; we also help people sign up for medi-cal, calworks and calfresh,” Family Resource Center Coordinator Saive Flynn said. “Just when people come in and express what resources they need, we try to, if we don’t have it, we try to connect them to who does have it.”  

And now that school is right around the corner, back to school clothes are available at the center.

“We do have a lot of back to school clothing that is free for anyone in the community,” Flynn said. “It’s by appointment, so if you just give us a call and let us know when you’d like to come in.”

The summer food program is ending on August 17th, but the Jefferson Center has their doors open year round for anyone in need of services.

“Reclaiming this space that was kind of shut down and desolate and turning it into something that is literally completely for the community and aims to bridge any gaps that people may be feeling in the community,” Flynn said. “We try to help with just any kind of resources” 

For more information visit: https: //www.jefferson-project.org/ 

or call 707-497-6280