Texting Service Helps Connect Families and Children to Summer Meals Sites

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Jul 10, 2017, 10:37 ET

WASHINGTON, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Families already struggling to make ends meet have a tough time in the summer. When schools close and students no longer have access to school meals, families are forced to make unthinkable decisions between whether to buy a bag of groceries or pay rent.

But summer hunger is a problem with a solution.

No Kid Hungry Texting Service Helps Connect Families and Children to Summer Meals Sites

The national Summer Food Service Program, created by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), connects children from low-income families to the critical nutrition they need during the summer. However, many families don't know these meals exist and only a fraction of the kids who need these meals are getting them.

No Kid Hungry developed a free texting service in collaboration with the USDA in 2013. The service helps families and community leaders find summer meals sites. Neighbors, teachers, community leaders and families themselves can text 'FOOD' or 'COMIDA' to 877-877. Upon doing so, users are prompted to provide their address or zip code, which generates information about the location and service times of up to three summer meals sites in their area.

"We know that when access to school breakfast and lunch goes away, rates of hunger increase," says Derrick Lambert, program manager with No Kid Hungry, a national organization working to end childhood hunger. "But we also know that a solution exists."

Connecting kids to summer meals sites is critical. Access to nutrition has a long-term impact on a child's health, ability to learn and general well-being.

"One of the biggest barriers to kids taking part in this program is that families simply don't know that help is available," says Lambert. "We wanted to find a quick, streamlined way for folks to find summer meals. The texting service does just that, and sharing the texting number is an easy way for people to help friends and neighbors connect to programs that support children when school is out."

About No Kid Hungry
No child should go hungry in America, but 1 in 5 kids will face hunger this year. Using proven, practical solutions, No Kid Hungry is ending childhood hunger today by ensuring that kids start the day with a nutritious breakfast and families learn the skills they need to shop and cook on a budget. When we all work together, we can make sure kids get the healthy food they need. No Kid Hungry is a campaign of national anti-hunger organization Share Our Strength. Join us at NoKidHungry.org.

CONTACT:
Christy Felling
Director of Media & Public Affairs
202-649-4340 or [email protected]

SOURCE No Kid Hungry