It’s only 7:00 am, but the YMCA gymnasium in Bethany, Oklahoma, is already buzzing with activity. “We know that, right here in Oklahoma County, it’s estimated that 37,000 children don’t always have enough access to the nutritious food they need to thrive and succeed,”

It’s a rainy day in Clarksville, Tennessee. Despite the cloud cover and raindrops, there’s excitement in the air. Today, military families will receive food, household essentials and much more.

It’s not rare for kids to skip school, whether it’s to get into mischief with friends or just avoid algebra. But for a long time, students at Sunrise School in Gulu, Uganda, were skipping for a much more serious reason.

In December 2021, Typhoon Rai struck the Philippines. Diesa and her family were forced to flee with only what they could carry: Diesa and her son holding light bags; Jeson carrying their seven-year-old daughter Agnes.

With summer heating up, millions of children are struggling to find the fun in the season. Their families are stretching their budgets to the breaking point. With almost 30 million students who qualify for free and reduced-price meals at school, this summer could be catastrophic.

When we think of summer, we think of carefree days. For many students, that’s the case. But research shows that there’s a downside to that.

“I keep everything that they send me, and it’s all on my desk. I display it so my coworkers can come by and see how beautiful each of the children are,” Deb Riley told us, smiling and glancing at half-dozen photocopied pictures.

Most of us imagine summer break as a time of play and relaxation for kids. The phrase “summer slide” sounds like it belongs in that picture – like a slide at a playground or water park, it should be something fun, right?