FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Barrett White / bwhite@rubenstein.com
NO KID HUNGRY NEW YORK AND BUFFALO BILLS FOUNDATION ANNOUNCE WESTERN NEW YORK GRANTS, PSA CAMPAIGN IN SUPPORT OF KIDS’ SUMMER MEAL PROGRAMS
Alongside community grants, the organizations launch a new PSA featuring Buffalo Bills players to help connect eligible New York families with Summer EBT grocery benefits
NEW YORK, NY (July 20, 2026) – No Kid Hungry New York today announced that nine Western New York public school districts and community organizations will receive community grants as part of a $134,000 initiative to provide more kids with free, nutritious meals all summer long. The new funding addresses some of the obstacles that have kept families from utilizing free summer meal programs in the past by providing grab-n-go meal options, home delivery, extended hours, and new, more convenient locations. These grants were made possible with help from the Buffalo Bills Foundation to support free summer meal programs in Western New York.
The Buffalo Bills Foundation and No Kid Hungry New York also released a public service announcement raising awareness about Summer EBT benefits featuring Bills players Dion Dawkins, Connor McGovern, Tyler Bass, and Maxwell Hairston. Summer EBT dollars are now being distributed to eligible families across New York State, helping them pay for groceries during the summer months. As part of the program, eligible New York families will receive a one-time installment of $120 per child on their Summer EBT cards, which can be used to pay for groceries. More information on Summer EBT is available at otda.ny.gov/summerebt.
New York’s hunger crisis is continuing to impact millions of children and families. Federal cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) have impacted food assistance for more than 125,000 families statewide. According to a recent poll from No Kid Hungry New York, three-fourths of New York families reported that the high cost of food has forced them to choose between groceries and other necessities, like housing costs, utilities, and transportation. The poll also found that 52 percent of Western New York residents have had to take on additional debt due to the rising cost of food.
Food insecurity spikes every summer as kids lose access to no-cost and low-cost school meals, and it is especially prevalent in rural communities, where it can be difficult for families to reach summer meal sites offering free meals. More than 2,500 sites will be open across New York this summer. Anyone age 18 and under is eligible. No registration, documentation, or ID is necessary to receive a meal.
“No child should have to wonder where their next meal is coming from when school lets out for the summer. Yet for too many families across Western New York, getting to a summer meal site can be a challenge,” said Liz Lucas, Senior Program Manager at No Kid Hungry New York. “These grants help bring nutritious meals directly to kids through flexible solutions like eat-in meals, grab-and-go options, and home deliveries. At a time when families are struggling with rising food costs and federal cuts are putting critical food assistance at risk, this support is more important than ever. We’re proud to work with local school districts, community organizations, and philanthropic partners like the Buffalo Bills Foundation so that more children can stay healthy, active, and ready to thrive all summer long.”
“As an organization deeply committed to Western New York, the Buffalo Bills Foundation is proud to support No Kid Hungry New York and local partners working to ensure children across the region have nutritious meals throughout the summer,” said Michelle Roberts, Executive Director of the Buffalo Bills Foundation . “We know that for many families in our community, rising food costs and transportation challenges can make it difficult to get the food they need. By helping expand flexible meal options including grab-and-go programs, home deliveries, and additional meal sites, we can reach more kids and families where they are and help them stay nourished and active this summer.”
Western New York recipients of No Kid Hungry New York’s 2026 Summer Grants include:
- Cassadaga Valley Central School District will offer bulk meal distributions every Wednesday to its school community and will operate weekly bulk meal distributions in two neighboring school districts.
- Chautauqua Opportunities will provide breakfast and lunch at both eat-in and grab-n-go sites throughout Chautauqua County daily. The program will also pilot take-home weekend meals at one location.
- Honeoye Central School District will expand the operational hours for its summer meal site and offer flexible pick-up options in Ontario County to better serve working families.
- Jamestown YMCA will operate two new meal pickup sites and distribute take-home weekend meals on Fridays at eat-in locations.
- Jamestown City School District will serve eat-in meals Monday-Friday alongside the district’s LEAP program and distribute take-home weekend meals on Fridays. The district is offering additional flexible meal access options designed to reduce barriers and better serve the community.
- Lyons Central School District will continue its seven-day home delivery program for families unable to access eat-in meals at their school site.
- Pine Valley Central School District will serve multi-day meals every Monday and Thursday at 3 locations across its service area.
- Salamanca City Central School District will use its food truck to provide meals at four new mobile pick-up sites throughout its Cattaraugus County service area, in addition to providing daily eat-in and grab-n-go meals.
- Springville-Griffith Institute/Central School District will add a second pick-up site at Colden Elementary School.
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About No Kid Hungry
No child should go hungry in America. But millions of kids could face hunger this year. 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
