PRESS RELEASE
June 22, 2026
No Kid Hungry Announces Jennifer Wheeler as 2026 Summer Hunger Hero
Annual Celebration Shines Spotlight on Those Who Go Above and Beyond to End Summer Hunger for Kids
Contact: Laura Rice, lrice@strength.org
Lebanon, KY —No Kid Hungry is pleased to announce Jennifer Wheeler, Nutrition Director for Marion County Public Schools, in Lebanon, Kentucky as a 2026 Summer Hunger Hero. This annual celebration of those who go above and beyond in efforts to end childhood hunger shines a light on extraordinary individuals and agencies from across the nation. This year’s list of heroes includes ten honorees from nine states—a diverse array of celebrants, but all united in their commitment to ending childhood hunger during the summer months, and throughout the year.
Summer is well known as the hungriest season of the year for children, as that is when free and reduced-price school meals disappear for the summer break. This means kids miss out on a consistent source of nutrition, and families’ already tight budgets are stretched even further. Summer programs like Summer EBT, also known as SUN Bucks, and Summer Meals can provide a true lifeline for families by filling the nutritional gap for children during the break. The 2026 Summer Hunger Heroes’ work focuses on these programs.
Jennifer Wheeler has been a big sponsor of rural non-congregate summer meals in Marion County, Kentucky, serving over 122,000 meals to families last year. She goes the extra mile to serve families who don’t have access to transportation or might fear attending an in-person site. Wheeler’s also been key to expanding Summer EBT outreach in the county, ensuring that all kids have access to summer nutrition, regardless of where they live.
“Jennifer Wheeler exemplifies the work of No Kid Hungry,” said Ashley Roudebush, program manager of No Kid Hungry Kentucky. “She is out and about in the community doing what we work and advocate for. But she takes it to the next level. She goes above and beyond and it’s the kids that benefit. It’s always about the kids.”
No Kid Hungry celebrates these Summer Hunger Heroes for their efforts to turn the tide on child hunger, to ensure families have reliable access to nutrition throughout the year, and to make summer a season where kids can simply focus on being kids.
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About No Kid Hungry
No child should go hungry in America. But millions of kids in the United States live with hunger. No Kid Hungry is working to end childhood hunger by helping launch and improve programs that give all kids the healthy food they need to thrive. This is a problem we know how to solve. No Kid Hungry is a campaign of Share Our Strength, an organization committed to ending hunger and poverty. Join us at NoKidHungry.org.
