Houston Food Bank Will Serve Good Nutrition for Local Children This Summer
This summer, Houston Food Bank will connect children 18 and younger and enrolled student with disabilities up to 21 years old with healthy, no-cost summer meals. The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is a U.S. Department of Agriculture nutrition program administered in the Lone Star State by the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA). For the children who rely on school meals during the academic year, these meals offer a source of good nutrition when school is out for the long summer vacation.
“Nearly two million food-insecure children who live in Texas lack consistent access to nutritious food to fuel a healthy life,” says “Belinda Enojado, senior manager of Process Management at Houston Food Bank. “In order to address this issue, the Houston Food Bank distributes meals to children through community partners during both the school year and summer. The Summer Food Service Program begins on June 5, 2023.”
Any child from the community can receive a meal at any of the food bank’s participating sites. Information for the child is not required to be eligible for a meal. For site locations, please visit HoustonFoodBank.org or contact a Houston Food Bank Kids Café team member at 713-223-3700.
Houston Food Bank is one of the non-profit organizations partnering with TDA to serve meals across Texas. Families are encouraged to use these three tools to find a meal site anywhere in the state:
- Call Houston Food Bank at 713-223-3700 or visit HoustonFoodBank.org/KidsCafe
- Call 2-1-1 to speak to a live operator
- Text FOOD or COMIDA to 304-304
Organizations partner with TDA to serve meals in areas where more than 50-percent of children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals in the National School Lunch Program. Eligible sponsoring organizations include schools, faith-based groups, nonprofit summer camps, government agencies and other tax-exempt organizations. All meal sites must be sponsored by an organization that has a contract with TDA.
Summer meal sites help children succeed by providing the nourishment they need to return to school in the fall ready to thrive.
Source: Houston Food Bank
