September 4, 2026 – Leonardtown, Md. – St. Mary’s County Library’s 2026 Summer Snacks and Lunch at the Library programs were a tremendous success! We extend our sincere gratitude to our community; these programs were made possible by an outpouring of generosity from individuals, community organizations, businesses, and local restaurants.
Between June 15 and August 21, St. Mary’s County Library served 2,804 meals and snacks, helping to ensure local families had access to free food throughout the summer.
“We saw firsthand how these programs impacted the children and families who came through our doors this summer,” said Denise Varela, Assistant Branch Manager at Lexington Park Library. “Kids had a safe, welcoming place to eat their fill, spend time with friends, and participate in Library programs. Seeing children come back knowing the Library could be that place for them was incredibly meaningful.”
Running Monday through Friday, Summer Snacks served healthy, filling snacks to 1,267 people. Lunch at the Library was held on Wednesdays in June and on both Mondays and Wednesdays starting in mid-July, serving 1,537 people a full lunch for a combined Snacks and Lunch total of 2,804 people served.
Summer Snacks and Lunch at the Library were entirely funded through extraordinary community support. The Library raised $14,926 in donations from numerous individuals, groups, and organizations, in addition to receiving an incredible amount of donated non-perishable food. The financial contributions allowed the Library to pay for lunches and supplement donated snacks with fresh and perishable foods including milk, yogurt, string cheese, and fresh fruit. Children were welcome to eat as much as they wanted while at the Library and then take their leftover items home. Due to the large number of donations, the program was able to also extend to Charlotte Hall Library and Leonardtown Library, where snacks were given out after children’s programs.
Local restaurants played an important role in making the expanded lunch program possible. Chick-fil-A, Firehouse Subs, Papa Johns, Slim Chickens, and Texas Roadhouse supported the program by donating food or providing significant discounts on meals.
“The response from our community has been remarkable,” said Michael Blackwell, Director of St. Mary’s County Library. “So many people, organizations, and businesses stepped forward because they wanted to help children and families in our community. It is wonderful to see what can happen when our community comes together. Every donation, whether it was food, funding, discounted food or meals, or spreading the word about these programs contributed to their success. We are deeply grateful.”
St. Mary’s County Library is saving remaining donated funds to help relaunch the program in Summer 2027. Donations will again be sought next June with an ambitious goal: provide a full lunch every weekday, Monday through Friday, in addition to snacks to supplement and take home.
St. Mary’s County Library extends heartfelt thanks to everyone who donated money, food, time, or shared information about the program.
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