Green Mountain Farm-to-School is celebrating the 14th season of The Lunchbox summer meals program with a free, family-friendly Block Party at Gardner Park in Newport on Thursday, June 25, from 3 to 6 p.m.
The event will bring together food, activities, community resources, and more than 20 local partners to help kick off the summer season in Newport.
All kids and teens 18 and under can receive a free supper from The Lunchbox food truck during the Block Party. Adult meals will be available for $8. Visitors can also enjoy a bouncy house, field games, educational activities, free resources, and opportunities to connect with community organizations.
Participating partners include the Old Stone House Museum, Memphremagog Watershed Association, North Country Career Center, The Wellness Center, and others. Visitors will also have a chance to learn more about Kingdom Co-op, an initiative working to form a community-owned food co-op in Newport.
“The Block Party is a great way to celebrate the start of summer, bring our community together around local food, and highlight a diversity of programs and services available to families in the Northeast Kingdom,” said Hilary Rosa, GMFTS food access coordinator. “We’re excited for another summer of good food, friends, and fun at The Lunchbox!”
The Lunchbox is operated in partnership with Whitsons Culinary Group and serves nutritious, locally sourced meals each week in Newport, Irasburg, and Barton throughout the summer. As part of the USDA’s Summer Food Service Program, The Lunchbox distributes around 4,000 free meals to children each summer. Adult meals are also available daily for $8, cash or check only.
In addition to meals, The Lunchbox offers enrichment programming, including arts and crafts, food education, free produce, and recipes featuring local, seasonal ingredients.
“The quality of food is great,” one participant shared. “It’s also a wonderful way to socialize in our small community.”
The Lunchbox runs from June 23 through Aug. 14, with weekly stops from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the following locations:
Tuesdays: Leach Public Library in Irasburg
Wednesdays: Barton Public Library
Thursdays: Gardner Park in Newport
There will be no regular lunch service in Newport on June 25 because of the Block Party supper event.
The June 25 Block Party is free and open to the community.