Summer Meal Programs Help Children Stay Healthy, Active
Every summer, no-cost meals are available for children 18 and younger and enrolled students with disabilities up to age 21 in low-income areas. Federally funded Summer Meal Programs make it possible for food banks, schools, and other nonprofits to serve these meals in a supervised and welcoming setting. The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) oversees the federal programs in Texas for sponsors serving meals and encourages families to access this source of good nutrition when school cafeterias are closed for summer.
As a local elected official, you play an important role in increasing awareness of the Summer Meal Programs. Follow these steps to help families find a healthy summer meal:
1. Beginning June 1, share these three meal-site-locator tools:
- Dial 211 to speak to a live operator
- Visit www.SummerFood.org for an interactive site-locator map
- Text FOOD or COMIDA to 304-304
2. Order or download no-cost promotional materials at Summerfood.org/Outreachtools. Share the summer meals materials directly with your community partners or through local media.
3. Attend a special event! Speak with a local school district about upcoming events and promotional celebrations to raise awareness of summer meal sites in your community.
4. Organizations interested in learning about the program can find information at our website.