Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities becomes summer meal site, offers summer programming opportunities for youth: July 6 - July 24

As the COVID19 pandemic continues, youth continue to be impacted disproportionately. Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities (GAAH) is offering a 3-week summer program in an effort to curb summer learning losses and provide access to food for those experiencing food insecurity during the summer months of the pandemic.

The summer program activities will run for three weeks in the month of July and will offer opportunities for students K-12th grade. The curriculum for all students includes Outdoor and Nature Games, Summer Music Activities, and an incentivized Reading component. In addition, each student will be enrolled in two classes of their interest with selections including:

• Food Grows & So Do I : a S.T.E.A.M. class where students will learn about seeds, planting, and growing their own food.
• Art Selfies : Explore how awesome you are! Make self-portraits with drawing, collage, and photography.
• Take A S.E.C.: Making time to take care of yourself, time to socialize with other students via Zoom, and a space to speak openly with Ms. Sandra of the CLC.
• Claying Around : Make creative wearable art from polymer clay with your whole family like badges, pins, and jewelry! (AN OVEN OR TOASTER OVEN IS REQUIRED)

Offerings will include lunch and dinner. These classes were developed with direct input from parents and families in the neighborhood, most are bilingual and can be completed over 3 weeks, and each piece of

the curriculum will include delivery of class kits for students to complete at their own pace at home, and with different levels of screen time necessary. Priority is given to families that have participated in our summer programs in the past and families live in the Roosevelt Park or the Black Hills neighborhoods, and/or have children that attend SWCC or César E Chávez Elementary.

The YMCA’s “Unanticipated School Closure Food Program” is scheduled to end on June 30th, leaving gaps in food distribution services for families still being impacted by the COVID19 pandemic. GAAH will

be partnering with the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids to become a “Meet Up Eat Up” summer meals distribution site for lunches, and with Kids Food Basket to distribute sack suppers to families in need.

Youth do NOT need to be registered in our programs in order to access lunches or sack suppers. Any youth age 18 or younger is invited to receive meals.

Food distribution schedule from July 6 - July 24: 12:30pm-1:30pm - Monday through Friday

• Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at the Cook Library Center - 1100 Grandville Ave. SW
• Tuesday and Thursday at the Cook Arts Center - 644 Grandville Ave. SW

This programming and these services are being made available with funding support from State Farm, the Michigan Humanities Council H.O.P.E. Grant, the Grand Rapids Community Foundation Youth Grant Committee, and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs Emergency Relief Grant.