For many kids, the end of the school year is a celebration of unstructured summer days and no homework. But for other kids -- too many kids -- the end of the school year also means the end of a guaranteed food source.
More than 30 million students in the United States rely on their schools for a meal at least once a week, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.
So what happens to those kids when school is not in session?
Unfortunately, it means that one in three kids from a low-income family will not have enough food during the summer months, according to a 2015 Summer Nutrition Program Social Impact Analysis by Share Our Strength, a national organization working to end childhood hunger in the United States.
Those children and teens who struggle with hunger face something called the "summer nutrition gap." These kids are also at a higher risk of losing the skills and knowledge they have developed during the school year -- which means they'll return in the fall at an academic disadvantage.
To combat the effects of food insecurity for kids, the U.S. Department of Agriculture offers nutritious, free meals to kids ages 18 and under during the summer months. The Summer Meals Program typically is held at libraries, camps, churches, parks, schools, food trucks, and even school buses throughout the country.
For many low-income families, these free meals can also make it easier to pay their rent and bills, without sacrificing their children's nutrition. That's important because 43 percent of low-income families in America find it harder to make ends meet during the summer months, according to the Share Our Strength analysis.
So do the programs work? The Share Our Strength analysis highlights a study of 1,200 schools in Maryland and found that schools offering a summer nutrition program saw up to 2.5 percent more students achieve math proficiency, up to 2 percent more students achieve reading proficiency, and up to 5.3 percent more students graduate from high school, compared to schools that did not offer a summer nutrition program.
So let's work together to make sure all of our kids are fed this summer! Click here to find the USDA Summer Food Service Program locations near you where children can take part in the Summer Meals Program.
- Bedford Park Apartments
2739 Shallowford Rd Atlanta, GA 30341 (770) 451-6210
May 28 – July 31, 2019
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday 1230-130pm - BlueStone Village Apartments
3812 McElroy Rd. Atlanta, GA 30340 (678) 209-0410
May 28 – July 31, 2019
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday 2-3pm - Dunwoody Exchange
4237 N. Shallowford Rd. Atlanta, GA 30341 (770) 574-4008
May 28 – July 31, 2019
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday 1-2pm - PepperTree Apartments
4203 Buford Highway Atlanta, GA 30345 (404) 663-4789
June 1 – August 3, 2019
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 1030-1130am and 145 -245pm - Regency Woods Apartments
3160 Buford Highway Atlanta, GA 30329 (404) 325-2727
June 1 – August 3, 2019
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 10-11am and 1-2pm - Reserve at Brookhaven
1750 Briarwood Rd. Atlanta, GA 30329 (404) 728-8771
May 28 – July 31, 2019
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday 12-1245pm - Shallowford ARMS
3600 Shallowford Rd. Atlanta, GA 30341 (770) 680-2332
May 28 – July 31, 2019
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday 2-3pm - Sierra Gardens Apartments
3649 Buford Highway Atlanta, GA 30329 (404) 634-7529
June 1 – August 3, 2019
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 1030-1130am and 145-245pm - Sierra Station Apartments
3632 Buford Highway Atlanta, GA 30329 (470) 819-2602
June 1 – August 3, 2019
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 10-11am and 130-230pm - Sierra Village Apartments
2615 Oak Shadow Lane Atlanta, GA 30345 (404) 636-7083
June 1 – August 3, 2019
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 1015-1115 am and 130-230pm
Other Resources |
- Community Assistance Center: Give Kids Summer Lunches and School Supplies!
- Fulton County Schools Serve Summer Meals
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