PeaceHealth donates $50,000 to keep Lane County summer meals going

PeaceHealth donated $50,000 to FOOD for Lane County on June 24 to help keep free summer meals available for children who lose access to school breakfasts and lunches when classes end. The money is helping sustain a program that gives families a reliable midday meal option across Lane County just as the school-year safety net disappears.

FOOD for Lane County, PeaceHealth and Yogi are partnering to serve meals at 35 locations countywide between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. The schedule gives parents and caregivers a predictable place to turn during the summer break, when many households have to replace meals that students would normally receive at school.

The need is large. Nearly 75% of Lane County children qualify for free or reduced-price meals during the school year, which means summer break can leave thousands of households facing a real nutrition gap. FOOD for Lane County’s summer food program has historically delivered about 50,000 meals, and it expects to provide an additional 10,000 meals this year.

Carolyn Stein, executive director of FOOD for Lane County, said the organization knew there was going to be a significant funding gap and that PeaceHealth stepped in so children in the community would not go hungry. That donation turns a corporate check into a direct community health intervention, one tied to child wellness, family stability and the daily reality of feeding children when schools are closed.

For Lane County families, the immediate takeaway is simple: free meals are available now at 35 sites from late morning through midday. The partnership among a health care provider, a local food nonprofit and Yogi is designed to keep the program running through the summer, when hunger pressures rise and school cafeterias are shut down.