School may have ended on June 17, but that doesn’t mean learning, or access to free food, must stop for the summer! 

There are few better ways to fight summer boredom than with a good book. Whatcom County Library System’s annual Summer Reading Program is a great way to get your students excited to read! Anyone can pick up a Summer Reading card at any Whatcom County or Bellingham public library – including the branch near downtown Ferndale – or download a card at www.wcls.org/summer-reading. These cards provide reading inspiration for readers, and fun activities for younger children who can’t read yet, in English, Russian, Punjabi and Spanish. 

There are also local summer program opportunities for students! Boys & Girls Clubs of Whatcom County is offering summer camps at their Ferndale clubhouse near Pioneer Park for both younger and older students. For more information on either program, visit the Boys & Girls Clubs website. 

The Whatcom Family YMCA is also holding summer day camps for both elementary and middle school-aged students. These programs focus on outdoor play and learning, and feature a weekly local field trip. Although students begin their days in Bellingham, there are drop-off/pick-up sites at the Ferndale Park & Ride and Irene Reither Elementary in the Meridian region. For more information, visit the Whatcom Family YMCA website. 

Although summer school registration has closed, any child in the community ages 0-18 can come to Cascadia Elementary School to eat breakfast and lunch for free. Breakfast will be served at 8:45 a.m., lunch will be served at noon. These meals are available on weekdays from June 27 through July 15, with the exception of July 4. Unlike the past couple of summers, we will not offer box meal pick up.  

Boys & Girls Clubs of Whatcom County are also providing free meals for kids ages 0-18 at their Ferndale clubhouse near Pioneer Park. Meals are offered from noon to 12:30 p.m. every weekday except for the week of July 4. Their free meals will end when their summer camp program ends on August 26. 

Another option for finding free meals for students this summer is through the No Kid Hungry program. If you visit www.nokidhungry.org, you can use their website or call a number to find free meals nearby. You can also call the USDA National Hunger Hotline at 1-866-3-HUNGRY (1-866-348-6479) or text “FOOD” to 304-304 to find more free meals options. Spanish-speaking families can call 1-877-8-HAMBRE (1-877-842-6273) or text “Comida” to 304-304. 

For more information on resources for this summer, and year-round, visit the Community Resources page on our school district website at www.ferndalesd.org/community/community-assistance.