Millions of kids are living with hunger in the United States today. And for children who rely on free meals at school, summer can be the hungriest time of year.
Now, thanks in part to the work of No Kid Hungry and other advocates, there’s a federal program to help families buy food during the summer. And there’s another new program that will help kids this summer: rural communities can now offer meals delivery and pick-up services, instead of requiring children to travel to the sites where the meals are served.
Together, these new programs could help more than 30 million children in the United States.
But there’s a huge task ahead as we work to help schools, community organizations and state agencies implement them – and ensure that families and communities are aware.
Meanwhile, kids still rely on free summer meals served at community sites in neighborhoods across the country, from schools to parks to libraries. No Kid Hungry supports these programs, and provides a Free Meal Finder service that families can use to find healthy food for their children.
We invite you to join us in raising funds and awareness of these important programs by using these toolkits. With your support, we’ll make sure every child gets the food they need during the summer.
Summer Meals Outreach
No Kid Hungry has created a summer meals outreach toolkit to help you get the word out to families. A range of ready-made promotional materials are available to help publicize summer meals programs and sites in your community. Use these resources to maximize the impact of outreach efforts in schools, faith communities, community organizations and online.
This toolkit was updated to include additional non-congregate meal site outreach tools for Summer 2024.
Click here to access the 2024 No Kid Hungry Summer Meals Outreach Toolkit.
This toolkit includes ready-to-use and customizable materials – in both English and Spanish. These materials include graphics, flyers, template letters, promo videos, and more.
304-304 Texting Hotline
No Kid Hungry oversees a national texting hotline that helps parents, caregivers, community leaders and others find food during the summer. Parents and caregivers should text the word “FOOD” or “COMIDA” to 304-304 to find the nearest summer meal sites.
*The previous 877-877 texting hotline is no longer operational.
Meal site data is collected from both USDA and CDE’s summer meal site data. Data & message rates may apply. En español.
Click here to access the 2024 No Kid Hungry End Summer Hunger Toolkit.
- Additional 304-304 texting hotline assets can be found here.
Free Meal Finder Map
Parents and caregivers can search online on the Meal Finder Map. Just enter an address or location in the search bar below to find local free meal sites. They can also filter their search by meal type such as breakfast, lunch, supper, morning snack, and afternoon snack.
Check out the Free Meal Finder Map here. The map is also available in Spanish.
Meal site data is collected from both USDA and CDE’s summer meal site data. Summer meal operators can also submit site data as frequently as needed to bestpractices@strength.org email address.
Rural Non-Congregate Flexibility
Children, under the age of 18, who live in a rural community may be able to access grab and go or home delivered meals. Check with your local school or community organization to learn more about to-go meals options in your area.
For more rural non-congregate summer meal program support, check out No Kid Hungry’s Rural Non-Congregate webpage.
We invite you to promote the Free Meal Finder Map and 304-304 Texting Hotline to ensure families find the nearest summer meal sites using the 2024 Summer Meals Outreach Toolkit.
Additional Summer Resources
Below are resources available for families to afford food right now and kids have the food they need to thrive. Receiving any of these resources does not affect immigration status and will not make you a public charge.
Sun Bucks (Summer EBT)
Starting this summer, parents and caregivers can buy more food for their children with California SUN Bucks, also called Summer-EBT. SUN Bucks works just like CalFresh, but for the summer.
Simply, children who qualify for free or reduced-price school meals through a school meal application or an Alternative Income Form, or get CalFresh, CalWORKS, or Medi-Cal, are automatically enrolled. SUN Bucks provides $40 per month for food for June, July and August 2024 ($120 total).
SUN Bucks is a new permanent program that helps families with school-age children buy groceries during the summer when kids might not have access to school meals. Children and families can participate in both SUN Bucks and summer meals, as well as other benefit programs like CalFresh and Medi-Cal.
Many children will get and receive SUN Bucks benefits automatically, but some families will need to verify their income to receive benefits. No Kid Hungry is here to help ensure school staff and community leaders have the information they need to support families.
Click here to assess the 2024 No Kid Hungry California SUN Bucks Outreach Toolkit!
No Kid Hungry also developed this SUN Bucks (Summer EBT) Retailer Toolkit for retailers who accept EBT.
For more information, visit CDSS’s SUN Bucks outreach resource page. You can also call the SUN Bucks Helpline at (877) 328-9677. Additional resources can be found in USDA’s Summer EBT Outreach Toolkit.
CalFresh (SNAP)
When kids are enrolled in CalFresh, they get the food they need to succeed both at home and school. But many newly eligible families may not know they qualify or how to sign up. As trusted messengers, schools and community organizations are important resources of information for families.
- CalFresh helps kids at home: Now is a great time to enroll or renew for CalFresh benefits! California families with children can spend less time worrying about getting food on the table and more time with their family.
- CalFresh helps kids at school: Students enrolled in CalFresh are directly certified for free school meals.
- CalFresh helps kids in the summer. Students enrolled in CalFresh are directly certified for SUN Bucks, a new permanent summer benefit program.
To learn more about CalFresh or to apply for CalFresh food benefits, visit BenefitsCal.com.
No Kid Hungry joins state, county, and community-based organizations across California to raise awareness, dispel myths and assist families with CalFresh.
The CalFresh Outreach Social Marketing Toolkit includes a variety of ready-to-use assets like social media graphics and posts in 13 languages to help you communicate with families.
WIC (Women, Infants, and Children Nutrition Program)
The WIC program provides food, education and support for women who are pregnant or postpartum, caregivers, infants, and children up to age 5.
WIC provides nutritious foods based on dietary needs such as dairy, fruit and vegetables, whole grains, baby food and infant formula. Benefits are available on an electronic card and are used to purchase food at WIC authorized stores.
Caregivers (including fathers and grandparents) with low to medium incomes are eligible for WIC. Check to see if you are eligible for WIC.
WIC is available nationwide including in U.S. territories and through Native American Tribal Governments. To apply for WIC, you need to set up an appointment with your local provider. Find your local WIC provider.
Click here to access outreach materials from California Department of Public Health.
Medi-Cal (Medicaid)
Through a process called direct certification, students who receive Medi-Cal benefits may also be eligible to other nutrition assistance programs like CalFresh and SUN Bucks.
Medi-Cal increases students’ access to free and reduced-price school meals by removing the barriers associated with application and approval for free or reduced-price eligibility. Households can apply or renew for healthcare coverage online year-round at www.BenefitsCal.com
- Click here and learn more about the connection between Medicaid and school meals.
- Click here to access InsureKidsNow.gov outreach resources.
How to Use Grocery Benefits
SUN Bucks, CalFresh, and WIC programs provide grocery benefits on an EBT card – an electronic card that operates like a debit card.
Benefits can be used at places you normally shop like stores, farmers markets, and online.
WIC works with select retailers that are able to provide the specific foods required as part of their program. Each state provides a comprehensive list of stores and markets that accept WIC.
The ability to purchase items online with grocery benefits happened in recent years. SUN Bucks and CalFresh can be used for online grocery shopping with a variety of participating stores and grocery delivery providers.
Donate: 1 dollar can help provide 10 meals* for kids. Your support will help us fund meal programs all over the country and help us advocate for policies that will help kids get the meals they need” *Donations help support programs that feed kids; No Kid Hungry does not provide individual meals. Learn more at NoKidHungry.org/OneDollar
Last updated: June 10, 2024