Summer Meals Bring Communities Together
S
The Summer Disconnect
ummer plays a crucial role in helping youth
stay on a positive trajectory, both health and
developmentally speaking. However in many
low-income communities, school’s summer closure
brings added stress for families. On top of additional
childcare costs; families lose access to a valuable resource,
school lunch and breakfast programs. According to a
national survey, more than half of parents whose children
receive a free or reduced price lunch during the school year
experienced increased financial hardship during summer,
with some parents reporting that they did not have enough
food to make it through the summer months. The summer
break may also reduce access to fruits and vegetables for
youth living in neighborhoods that lack healthy retail
options.
Many low-income youths have limited access to
summer learning opportunities. The National Summer
Learning Association reports that low-income students
lose approximately two-to-three months in grade-level
reading skills over the summer, while their more affluent
peers are making slight gains. Additionally, this loss sets
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low-income students farther behind, contributing to the
achievement gap and decreasing the chances that they’ll
graduate from high school. For many of the agencies that
work to support the health and wellbeing of vulnerable
youth, they also lose a conduit to families when school
closes during the summer.
Food Brings Communities Together:
USDA Summer Meal Programs
In its simplest sense, food brings people together. USDA’s
Summer Food Service Program enables schools, local
and tribal government agencies, and community-based
organizations (including PAL programs) to serve free,
healthy meals to children ages 18 and under in low-income
neighborhoods when school is out in an effort to stem the
summer nutrition gap. Free meals are served to all children
and there is no application, sign-up, or identification
needed. The fully reimbursed meals nourish children in
need, provide communities with an infusion of federal
resources and bring opportunities to create a summer
safety net for youth. These programs provide the flexibility
and opportunity to connect with other community partners
in ways not always available during the school year.