A “No Kid Hungry” campaign has taken social media by storm and has quickly gone viral. Shared by parents, schools, media outlets, and simply, by word of mouth, this easy texting service aims to provide awareness and information to families who may not have known about the program or its locations.
No Kid Hungry, a non- profit organization, is certainly giving back by offering kids a quick text away from a local and free meal. Simply text “FOOD” or “COMIDA” for Spanish, to the number 877-877 and you will receive a text back from the service asking for your location. Send your zip code back and wait for a text listing the summer meal resources near you. This program offers meals all day long such breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even snacks.
To qualify for the summer program, the organization must be in an area where 50% or more children qualify for free or reduced-price school meal. No Kid Hungry also offers funding for sites serving children of migrant farm workers and summer camp programs. Many of these locations have accompanying activities to keep kids stimulate while school is out for the summer.
In addition, The National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs are available for schools offering academic summer school and for the students that are in participating in summer school. This makes students eligible for free or cheaper meals based on their qualifications during the year.
A program manager for No Kid Hungry, Derrick Lambert, explains that the need for summer meals is immense. Unfortunately, participation around the nation is low. Only about 16 percent of children nationwide, who get free lunch during the school year, are also accessing summer meals.
In Arizona alone, there are around 1,000 locations participating in the Summer Meal Program. In total, the state will serve 3.5 million to 4 million meals over the summer. For the meal assistance programs during the school year, about 650,000 kids are enrolled and the state serves 13 million meals per month.
These statistics alone prove the need for such a program which is exactly what No Kid Hungry has done. “Together, we really feel we have the power to end summer hunger in Arizona, and across the country,” says Lambert, a program manager for the campaign.
For more information on free summer meal sites near you, call the National Hunger Hotline at 866-3-Hungry or 877-8-Hambre.
