A report from Deloitte Consulting, \u201cSummer Nutrition Program Social Impact Analysis,\u201d analyzes available research on the long-term impacts of childhood hunger during the summer months.<\/p>\n
The study, conducted on behalf of No Kid Hungry (with support from the Arby\u2019s Foundation) shows that providing children with access to nutritious food beyond the school year and into the summer months has clear health, education and economic benefits.<\/p>\n
National summer nutrition programs increase food security and have a lasting impact on children\u2019s lives. In the short-term, the programs can help mitigate summer weight gain, cognitive decline and summer learning loss for children from low-income families. In the longterm, they may help increase high school graduation rates and reduce susceptibility to chronic diseases, which are otherwise each accompanied by large potential costs to the children and their communities.<\/p>\n
What could happen if all children receiving free or reduced-price school meals were able to access nutritious meals during the summer? Using existing research as a base, the study investigated the potential impact on American society and found:<\/p>\n