No Kid Hungry Florida is proud to announce an investment of $418,275 in grant funding to support 13 organizations across the state working to feed children during the summer months in rural communities. This critical funding expands access to non-congregate summer meal programs, a flexible and family-friendly solution helping to reach more kids in rural areas with the nutrition they need when school is out.
For millions of Florida students, the school cafeteria is a consistent source of meals during the year. But in the summer, access to school meals can become more difficult. Traditional summer meal programs require kids to eat on-site. While these programs are essential and work well in some areas, they often leave out kids in rural communities, or those with parents who work during meal site hours or lack reliable transportation.
Non-congregate summer meals offer a different approach. These programs allow families to pick up meals through drive-throughs, grab-and-go stations, or receive multi-day meal boxes. These models meet families where they are and provide safe, convenient access to food. Since federal policy changes made these options permanent for rural areas after COVID, Florida school districts and local nonprofits have been piloting and expanding their efforts.
This year’s grants from No Kid Hungry Florida will help power those efforts – funding essential needs like staffing, outreach, transportation, supplies, equipment, and technology. These are the behind-the-scenes elements that keep meal programs running smoothly but often go underfunded.
The following 13 organizations received grant funding:
- Feeding the Gulf Coast
- Glades County School District
- Hernando County School District
- Monroe County School District
- Alachua County Public Schools
- Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida
- Second Harvest of the Big Bend
- Spring Creek Charter School (Lake County)
- Star of the Sea Foundation
- Treasure Coast Food Bank
- Boys & Girls Club of Martin County
- Nassau County School District
- DSR Public Health Foundation
From fueling delivery vans to improving technology for safe distribution, these grants are helping partners across Florida meet families where they are – especially in areas where traditional models often fall short.
