When Summer Begins, School Meals End – Feed the Children Kicks Off Summer Hunger Awareness Campaign

The summer months should be a carefree time for children to play with friends and enjoy their childhood. But for 30 million children who rely on school meals, when the school year ends, so does their access to this resource. That means 1 in 8 kids in the U.S. who are already food insecure have even less access to food this summer.

Feed the Children, a leading nonprofit focused on alleviating childhood hunger, recognizes that hunger is all around us—even when we don’t see it. That’s why the nonprofit is kicking off it’s summer hunger campaign to raise critical funds to help children.

For many vulnerable families, 2023 has meant new challenges that will make this summer more difficult. Even as prices continue to rise, federal emergency funding for SNAP benefits ended in March, and almost 16 million households saw their monthly benefits decrease by hundreds of dollars. This leaves many parents to worry if their children having enough to eat.

Feed the Children helps by providing vital support to families who need a little extra assistance while feeling the summertime squeeze. The nonprofit works closely with its national network of more than 700 community partners delivering nonperishable food items, as well as household essentials so they can be distributed within the communities where people need them most.

For parents like Elanor, a mom with three small children, Feed the Children can help bridge the gap during the summer months.

“They don’t understand the cost of food. They just know that they’re hungry and we can’t not feed them,” she said. “There’s no excuses when they’re home and they’re hungry. We have to pull it together for the children. We have to find a way.”

Household essentials like cleaning supplies, hygiene and personal care items are not covered by SNAP benefits. By supplying these items, Feed the Children provides parents and caregivers an opportunity to keep more room in their budget for food.

For mom Dina, Feed the Children and our partners provide a much-needed lifeline to resources.

“A lot of people might be embarrassed to come out and say that they are in need of food and other resources, but I had to swallow my pride and come down,” she said. ”I’m grateful for the help that you have given us. Without you, we wouldn’t know what to do.”

In addition to food and resources, Feed the Children also supplies books and supports local summer education efforts that keep kids’ minds active. Research has shown that young students lose some of their achievement gains – up to one month of school year’s lessons – over the summer. This is especially in true in literacy when they don’t read regularly during the summer. When students fall behind with literacy at an early age, they often don’t catch up.

Individuals and businesses can make a difference in the lives of children and their families by supporting Feed the Children’s efforts to fight summer hunger. This will provide kids an opportunity to stay active and enjoy their summer.