No Kid Hungry Announces Representative Michael Hale and Senator Paul Bailey as 2026 Summer Hunger Heroes
Annual Celebration Shines Spotlight on Those Who Go Above and Beyond to End Summer Hunger for Kids
June 22, 2026
Contact: Laura Rice, lrice@strength.org
Nashville, TN —No Kid Hungry is pleased to announce Representative Michael Hale District 40, Tennessee and Senator Paul Bailey District 15, Tennessee as 2026 Summer Hunger Heroes. 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.
Representative Hale and Senator Bailey were instrumental in Tennessee’s return to the SUN Bucks program for summer 2027. The legislators led the fight to bring the nutrition program back to the state’s children by co-sponsoring the bill before the General Assembly. Ultimately, the $7 million state investment will provide critical summer nutrition for over 700,000 eligible children, unlocking over $84 million in federal drawdown for Tennessee families.
“No Kid Hungry is grateful to Representative Michael Hale and Senator Paul Bailey for their work to restore this critical program for families,” said Marissa Spady, senior manager of No Kid Hungry Tennessee. “Thanks to their efforts, more kids will have the nutrition they need over the break, ensuring a healthy summer and a ready return to the classroom when school starts in the fall. 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.
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.
