Share Summer is a signature platform developed by No Kid Hungry, a national campaign to end childhood hunger in America, to bring awareness and increase access to free summer meals for kids living with hunger. When the school doors close for the year, many kids lose access to the meals they depend on like school breakfast and lunch, making summer the hungriest time of year for kids in need. Free summer meals are available for kids across the country through the national Summer Food Service Program but too many children are missing out. Six out of 7 hungry kids don’t get the summer meals they need.
To make sure kids have enough to eat during the summer months, No Kid Hungry runs a summer meals texting service. Parents, grandparents and caregivers can text ‘FOOD’ or ‘COMIDA’ to 877-877 to find free summer meals sites in their neighborhoods, open to anyone 18 years or younger. Over a million families have used No Kid Hungry’s texting service to find free summer meals for their kids.
“Summer is the hungriest time of year for kids in need,” said Ayesha Curry, cookbook author, television host and Share Summer Ambassador for No Kid Hungry. “As a mom, I want my kids to have everything they need to grow up healthy and strong. All children should have that opportunity, and summer meals sites can help.”
From June 17-21, No Kid Hungry and its partners are hosting a series of pop-up events at summer meals sites in select markets across the country, including San Francisco, CA, Springdale, AR, and Dallas, TX, to bring local awareness to the importance of summer meals in a fun and interactive way. Share Summer mobile billboards will also be deployed in additional markets such as Los Angeles, CA, Houston, TX, Miami, FL, Columbus, OH, Baltimore, MD, Minneapolis, MN and New York, NY, to further increase awareness of free summer meals and how to find them through No Kid Hungry’s texting service.
No Kid Hungry is proud to work with Citi, Anthem, Bob’s Red Mill, General Mills Convenience and Foodservice, and Kellogg’s to Share Summer with kids during the hungriest time of year. These partners and others, like the Arby’s Foundation, ensure kids can enjoy nutritious meals when school is out. Share Summer is also supported by ABC and Endemol Shine North America, producers of “Family Food Fight,” as part of ABC’s Summer of Service, inspiring people to make a positive impact in their communities and showcase the power of helping others. Ayesha Curry, executive producer, host and judge of “Family Food Fight” will attend the San Francisco event.
For more information on summer meals sites, visit ShareSummer.org. To find free summer meals for youth 18 and under, text the word ‘FOOD’ or ‘COMIDA’ to 877-877.
—
Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com