Free summer lunch program another way Highwood Library fights local food insecurity

Highwood Library and Community Center is broadening its efforts to address food insecurity, pairing a new weekly grocery-distribution program with the return of its summer lunch initiative through Quest Food Management Services.

The lunch program, which began its second season on June 8, comes just one month after the library launched grocery distributions to help support local families facing food insecurity at a record high this year. 

The program will provide free, scratch-made bagged lunches to serve 30 families in need each weekday at the Highwood Library through July 31, said Laura Ramirez, executive director at Highwood Library.  

She said the library saw a need for lunches over the summer, with children out of school.

“We knew from working with families that children did not have access to meals during the summer in the same way that they did receiving free and reduced lunches during the school year,” Ramirez said. “When that need was brought to the Friends of the Highwood Library, they immediately said ‘we need to find a way to make this happen.’’

Meals will be prepared at Deerfield High School and include a sandwich or wrap, side, and bottled water with vegetarian options available. 

This year, Quest has a couple of “really good” chef managers at Deerfield and Highland Park high schools who work together to make meals for the summer school and Highwood library, said James Chantanasombuz district manager for Quest Food. 

“We pride ourselves in being a scratch-made food service for schools K-12, universities, corporate offices and event venues,” said Chantanasombuz. “As far as I’ve worked with Quest for the past 10 years, I’ve known them to do all sorts of things for food insecurity in communities.” 

John Rood, a board member of the Friends of the Highwood Library, helped unite Quest Food and the library for this partnership. 

Quest was a “natural” partner for the library to reach out, Rood said, given that the company was already ingrained into Highwood’s school systems and community. He said Quest acted quickly after the library’s first outreach, responding “right away” and set up the lunch program in a “matter of days.”

The initiative returns following a successful 2025 effort that provided nearly 1,400 lunches to the community, according to a library statement.

Summer lunches kept on running out last summer, Rood said, which led to a continued partnership with Quest.

“We started with a smaller number of lunches and they were gone instantly almost every day,” Rood said. “So we went back to Quest and asked for more lunches, and they very generously provided them again. So, I think we’re doing a good job addressing the needs of the community with this partnership. Quest has been an amazing community partner for us.” 

Ami Jerusalem Street Food, a Highwood restaurant, previously partnered with Highwood Library to provide tortas, filling the gap between when summer school ended and the school year began, Ramirez said. 

Highwood Library has reached out to Ami this year as well and they were “extremely responsive,” to join forces again, Ramirez said. 

The community effort is impressive, she said.

“It’s just phenomenal how food providers in this community have stepped forward to meet the needs of the community, making sure that our most vulnerable community members and children have access to quality delicious food throughout the summer,” Ramirez said. 

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