Contributed by: Ambriale Davis
13 million children living in the United States face hunger, meaning they do not have enough food to eat on the regular basis.1 Texas alone accounts for almost 25% of these children.1 During the school year, this issue is eased through federal nutrition programs like free or reduced breakfast and lunch programs, which 63% of Texas children take part in.1 But with Summer Break now in session, the need remains; so where do these children get fed when school ends and summer begins?
The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) was created as a solution to feed food insecure children in-between school sessions. This nationwide initiative aims to provide over 200 million free meals to children 18 and under through their approved SFSP sites.2 Although this is a nationwide program, there are over 100 sites in Arlington and Fort Worth combined. You can find the nearest site to you by using the 2018 Summer Meal Site Finder (https://www.fns.usda.gov/summerfoodrocks).
All you need to search is your address, city, state, or zip code to find your nearest site. If helping food insecure children is something you or your organization are passionate about the USDA provides you with ways to become a sponsor, manage a site, or simply raise awareness about this ever present issue (https://www.fns.usda.gov/sfsp/how-become-sponsor). No child should go hungry this summer. Tell your friends and neighbors about this great resource!
- https://www.nokidhungry.org/who-we-are/hunger-facts
- https://www.fns.usda.gov/sfsp/summer-food-service-program