For some children, summer vacation from school lasts up to 90 days. But when nearly 22 million children count on school-provided meals, 90 days is too long to worry about when they will have their next meal. Fewer than 1 in 6 have access to summer food programs – which means millions of kids in the U.S. are at risk of hunger during the summer. Your support can help get food to kids who could face a summer of hunger.
Meet Iker. Their story illustrates what summer meals means to kids facing hunger right here in our communities.
Growing up, I looked forward to summer every year. It was a time of freedom, exploration and joy. As a kid, it never occurred to me that other kids living in my same neighborhood, right here in Arizona, might have a different experience.
For kids facing hunger, summer vacation can be anything but a break. Without the meals they receive at school, the days can be full of worry – worry about having enough to eat.
As summer temperatures continue to increase here in Arizona, St. Mary’s Food Bank is working to get meals to kids and families all across our state so they can get through summer nourished and healthy.
Join St. Mary’s Food Bank to help ensure kids in Arizona have the food they need for a worry-free summer.