PARC Kids Café Provides After-School Meals in Lafayette

LCG AND SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK SERVE MORE THAN 2,700 MEALS AND SNACKS THROUGH KIDS CAFÉ
Providing after-school meals and snacks to students ages 3-18 within Lafayette’s recreation centers 

Lafayette, LA – Lafayette Consolidated Government’s Park, Arts, Recreation, and Culture (PARC) Department has partnered with Second Harvest Food Bank to provide nutritious after-school meals to children ages 3-18 across Lafayette Parish and bring Kids Café at Lafayette recreation centers.  

The program, which began on September 8, is part of LCG’s ongoing efforts to improve quality of life and create opportunities for families. To date, 1,400 hot dinners and 1,300 snacks have been served to 128 children across Lafayette Parish, including 30 children at the Domingue Recreation Center alone. The program ensures children have the opportunity to eat after school, while also offering opportunities for tutoring and open-play time between dinner and snack times.

“PARC is all about bringing people together and promoting an active lifestyle,” says PARC Director Byron Starks. “Nothing brings kids together like playing at the park. Now, we’re able to not only let them play, but fuel their bodies with nutritious food that can help them stay active and keep them having fun.”  

Meals and snacks are provided by Second Harvest Food Bank as part of its work to support the more than 480,000 people across south Louisiana who face food insecurity. 

“Approximately one in four children in south Louisiana are not sure where their next meal will come from,” says Second Harvest Food Bank Children’s and Senior’s Program Manager Sara Jean-Gilles. “The Kids’ Café program and our partnership with LCG’s PARC team gives us a chance to help reduce that statistic and make a positive impact on children and families across Lafayette.”  

Residents can view the scheduled dinner and snack times for each recreation center by visiting lafayettela.gov/kidscafe. Meals and snacks will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis Monday-Thursday to children ages 3-18 through May 2027. 

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