Monica Maybell, a dietetics senior and student worker, organizes a meal as part of the Office of Civic Engagement and Volunteerism’s and Salvation Army’s summer free meals program for youth on Wednesday at Textbook Rental.

Maybell said this is her second year participating in the summer meals program; the program provides free meals to kids 18 years old and younger at four different locations.

Volunteers stay at Neco Fields from 11 a.m. until 11:20 a.m., Long Acres from 11:30 a.m. until 11:50 a.m., Carl Sandburg Elementary School from noon until 12:15 p.m. and Textbook Rental from 12:20 p.m. to 12:40 p.m.

Maybell said she picks up the food from the Salvation Army before taking the route. The Salvation Army follows the school lunch requirements, which means the meals passed out for the program include some type of vegetable or fruit, a type of snack, some kind of grain, a protein and milk or water, she said.

For her, passing out free meals during the summer is a great opportunity to bond with the community, Maybell said.

“I just enjoy coming to see the kids. You get to know them really well, and I know especially from this year to last year, seeing the kids age is just crazy, and hearing the different experiences that they go do and talking to their parents, that’s what I like most about it,” she said.