"Through summer reading programs and other kid-friendly activities, libraries have been an important resource for educators fighting the "summer learning loss" that sets in the moment school lets out at the end of May. But for the first time ever, some San Francisco library branches are addressing something just as important - summer lunch loss. More than 61 percent of students in the San Francisco Unified School District qualify for free or reduced lunch, but a free nutritious meal can be hard to find in the summer. The new Lunch Is On Us program at the Excelsior, Chinatown, Visitacion Valley, Ocean View and Bayview branches gave out 972 meals in June and runs an hour a day for two days a week. "There's a lot of research that shows kids gain weight or are undernourished in the summer," said Jessie Mandle, the senior program planner for nutrition in the city's Department of Children, Youth and Their Families, who is coordinating the program. "Libraries have a lot of great summer learning programs. It just seemed like a natural fit." Kids don't eat all day At the Excelsior branch on Thursday, the program's most popular site, 29 children received bean burritos, carrot sticks, oranges and 1 percent milk. The program is paid for through a federal grant, and food is provided by San Francisco's Kid Chow. Anyone under the age of 18 who visits the participating branches on certain days can get a free meal. "We didn't want anyone to feel targeted or feel embarrassed that they were coming in for a free lunch," said branch Manager Rebecca Alcala. "No one is going to question their reasons for being here." Alcala said she has seen children spend all day in the library without getting anything to eat. Since the program started, the branch hasn't run out of meals on any occasions, but sometimes a line forms outside the meeting room before volunteers start giving out food. "Whenever we had adult programs with light refreshments, kids would hang around and ask 'Can I have a piece of this?' or 'Can I have a slice of that?' " she said. "We knew there was a need because we do have poverty in this area."" - Anne Bouey

"An added benefit of the program, librarians said, was that it attracts new patrons. Juana Mejia, brought her sons William, 8 and Erik, 3, to the library branch for only the second time ever after she heard from staff on a previous visit about the lunch giveaway. "We came here so the children could eat. We really like the program," said the Spanish-speaking Mejia, with Alcala translating. "I think I'll come back again." - Anne Bouey

"Oakland has been providing free summer lunches at libraries since 2011 through a partnership with the city and Alameda County Food Bank. Other California cities besides San Francisco have been following their example, with Fresno, San Diego, Los Angeles and Sacramento starting their own free meal programs this summer with the California Library Association and the California Summer Meal Coalition. "The number of kids getting meals is increasing every week. We've been pleasantly surprised," said Patrice Chamberlain, the director of the California Summer Meal Coalition, who noted that the state's summer reading theme this year is appropriately titled Reading is So Delicious. "It's drawing more families into the library; it's getting more kids signed up for the summer reading program." - Anne Bouey

Napa is doing something similar through Boys and Girls Club sites at two schools. - Anne Bouey