As schools and cafeterias close for the summer, many children and families, who rely on school-provided meals for critical nutrition, are left facing the unfathomable: a summer of worry and hunger. The inflated cost of essentials, coupled with the absence of critical school meals during summer break, adds to the stress and tough decisions that parents face, such as choosing between paying rent and putting food on the table.
By taking action, you can help food banks like Second Harvest fill the gap and distribute nutritious meals to children and families, ensuring a hunger-free summer.
Thanks to you, kids aged 18 and under can turn to Second Harvest’s 60+ Summer Food Service sites. As part of Florida’s Summer Break Spot program, kids and teens ages 18 and younger can access nutritious meals for free all summer long. Volunteers help prep and pack meals at Mercy Kitchen, which are then delivered to community centers, summer camps, and other places where children can safely gather for a meal, Monday through Friday.
In addition, families can access a variety of fresh and nonperishable foods at 870 local food pantries or mobile food distributions across all seven Central Florida counties.
Here are three ways you can help fight hunger this summer:
1. Donate Funds
One in seven Central Floridians—kids, families, and seniors—are facing hunger this summer. Your financial support can provide nutritious meals when your neighbors need them most. For every $10 you donate, 40 meals are distributed to Central Florida neighbors seeking help with food assistance. And now until June 30, your gift doubles and makes twice the impact, thanks to a generous donor who is matching all donations.
2. Volunteer
Sign up to help prepare meals for kids at Mercy Kitchen or sort food at Orlando or Melbourne-based distribution centers. Individuals and groups are welcome, and it’s a great opportunity for high-school students to earn community service hours for Bright Futures.
3. Start a food and fund drive
Hosting a food and fund drive is not only fun but also an incredibly simple way to engage friends, family, and coworkers in a group effort to help feed kids and families this summer. With just a few clicks, you can start making a significant impact today!
With your help, Central Florida families will have food on the table and a hope-filled summer.
Here are three ways you can find help this summer:
1. Food Finder
Second Harvest works with 870 feeding partners across its seven-county service area to ensure as many neighbors as possible have local access to food.
Input your address to use the food bank’s Food Locator tool to find the locations closest to you, along with contact and distribution information.
2. Summer Break Spot
Summer Break Spot sites are serving no-cost meals for kids and teens every weekday while school is out. Locations, including churches, schools, libraries and more, will serve breakfast, lunch, snacks and/or supper all summer long.
You can also call 2-1-1 or 850-617-7170.
Below each location on the map, you will find each site’s schedule, meals offered and contact information. If you don’t see any sites near you, check back soon, as the map is updated twice daily.
3. Benefits Connection
Another way Second Harvest helps put food on the table this summer is by offering assistance with applications for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps.
To ensure individuals, families, seniors, veterans and persons with disabilities have the food resources they need, Second Harvest’s Benefits Connection outreach program offers experienced, friendly and full-service SNAP application assistance at convenient locations in six counties.
You can also apply for SNAP online.
Hunger doesn’t take a summer break, and neither does Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. Together with donors, volunteers and advocates, the Food Bank continues to fight hunger, feed hope and help neighbors thrive.
