{"id":13625,"date":"2025-06-11T14:04:11","date_gmt":"2025-06-11T14:04:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/state.nokidhungry.org\/texas\/?p=13625"},"modified":"2025-08-15T16:14:36","modified_gmt":"2025-08-15T16:14:36","slug":"no-kid-hungry-texas-strengthens-rural-summer-meal-programs-with-over-300000-investment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/state.nokidhungry.org\/texas\/2025\/06\/11\/no-kid-hungry-texas-strengthens-rural-summer-meal-programs-with-over-300000-investment\/","title":{"rendered":"NO KID HUNGRY TEXAS STRENGTHENS RURAL SUMMER MEAL PROGRAMS WITH NEARLY $300,000 INVESTMENT"},"content":{"rendered":"[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text css=”” text_direction=”default”][June 11, 2025, Austin, Texas]<\/b> \u2013 Today, <\/span>No Kid Hungry Texas<\/span><\/a> announced an investment of nearly <\/span>$300,000<\/span> in grant funding to <\/span>10 <\/span>organizations, supporting expanded access to flexible summer meal programs for kids during school breaks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Traditionally, federally funded summer meal programs have been required to operate in a congregate setting, where kids must consume meals on-site. However, these models have historically reached only a fraction of eligible children, with an estimated <\/span>6 out of 7 kids missing out on this essential summer nutrition<\/span><\/a>. Barriers to access are even greater in rural communities, where meal sites may be sparsely located, coupled with transportation costs and schedule limitations for working caregivers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Federal policy changes have allowed rural communities to offer non-congregate meal service, granting greater flexibility to offer meals in ways that best fit the needs of the community. Non-congregate models include drive-thru meal pickups, multi-day meal distributions, and home delivery, and often require more resources to operate, in the form of additional staffing and equipment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cChildhood hunger remains a serious challenge in communities across Texas\u2014especially during the summer, when access to school meals disappears,\u201d said Stacie Sanchez Hare, director of No Kid Hungry Texas. \u201cWith rising grocery costs and increasingly limited resources for families, our grants are designed to expand our partners\u2019 capacity to reach kids with meals when school is out.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The latest grants from No Kid Hungry Texas support school districts, food banks, and other community organizations in implementing non-congregate meal programs, helping more kids access nutritious meals throughout the summer. Funding will support a range of needs, including the purchase of point-of-sale machines, fuel for meal delivery buses, and staffing for home delivery services.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe know the challenges for parents and caregivers when it comes to commuting to meal sites each day, and this grant will help us feed more kids with the <\/span>rural non-congregate summer meals program<\/span>,\u201d said Mel Jackson, executive director of the Josh Howard Foundation. \u201cThe support from No Kid Hungry Texas is a lifeline as we go into the summertime, and we look forward to seeing the lasting impact of this partnership.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The following <\/span>10 <\/span>organizations received grant funding:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n