Written by Emily Culkin with Montana Food Bank Network.
Summer should be a season of fun, adventure, and time with family and friends. Yet for many Montana children, it also brings the challenge of inconsistent access to nutritious food. Montana Food Bank Network (MFBN), in partnership with No Kid Hungry Montana (NKH), is committed to ensuring every child has access to nutritious meals all summer long through community focused solutions such as non-congregate summer meal programs.
This summer, our team had the opportunity to visit the Cut Bank and Rocky Boy communities to learn from our local partners. We gained a better understanding of community needs and celebrated the incredible work happening to keep children nourished throughout the summer months.
Even on hot summer days, the meal sites were filled with energy and connection. Families gathered in community spaces where children could enjoy meals and play with their friends. Meetings with educators, superintendents, tribal leaders, program staff, and community champions highlighted the shared dedication and collaboration that make these programs possible.
Each community has developed an approach that reflects its unique strengths and needs. At Rocky Boy Public Schools, the Summer Meal on Wheels program is helping bridge the summer hunger gap by delivering free meals to children at six locations throughout the community. The program now serves more than four hundred and fifty children each day, providing over two thousand meals every week. Lori Osgood, Rocky Boy Schools’ Food Services Supervisor, shared how the program helps address food access challenges in her community. “With school out for the summer break, we know kids are hungry, missing the relied upon school meals. SNAP benefits and other relied upon assistance to help families meet the needs of the household are being cut. The grant we received from No Kid Hungry has helped to expand our program to help feed children. For many families, it is the difference between their children or grandchildren eating that day. The grant has helped to be able to provide weekend meals to children. We live in a food dessert and transportation for children to come eat is not always available. This year our Meals on Wheels and Food Service Staff were able to make a difference to our community by delivering the food to kids. Using a familiar small yellow school bus, Our dedicated staff went above and beyond to make sure kids were fed.” Rocky Boy Public Schools’ innovative approach to overcoming transportation barriers is just one example of how our partners are finding creative solutions to meet the unique needs of their communities.
In Cut Bank, children walk or ride their bikes to the local library, where they gather for a meal and food pickup. With support from No Kid Hungry, Cut Bank is offering summer meals for the first time in more than a decade- providing approximately one hundred meals each day and helping close the gap for children who may otherwise go without reliable food access during the summer months. For Superintendent Wade Sunby, the program is about more than simply putting food on the table. As he explains, “Our Summer Food Program is about much more than providing meals-it’s about ensuring that every child has the opportunity to stay healthy, active, and ready to learn. We are proud to support our families throughout the summer by providing nutritious meals that help ease financial burdens and ensure that no child goes hungry. Thank you to our dedicated food service staff and community partners who make this important program possible. Together, we are investing in the well-being and success of the children of Cut Bank.”
While the programs may look different, they share the same purpose: ensuring children have consistent access to food during summer break. Local partners are also helping spread awareness about Sun Bucks, a grocery benefit that gives eligible families another valuable resource for accessing food support throughout the summer months.
These successes are made possible through strong local partnerships. Each individual plays an essential role in meeting the needs of their communities. Together, they are tackling systemic barriers and building stronger support systems for the people they serve and exemplifying the No Kid Hungry Montana’s mission to ensure every child has the nutrition they need to learn and grow.
Montana Food Bank Network visits to Cut Bank and Rocky Boy were a powerful reminder that when communities come together, meaningful change can happen. We are grateful for the leadership, creativity, and commitment of everyone who makes these summer meal programs possible. Their efforts are breaking down barriers to food access and helping children and families thrive throughout the summer.
