For many children, the end of the school year also means the loss of a reliable source of breakfast and lunch.
To help close that gap, the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York is launching a Student Summer Meal Kit Program that will provide weekly food packages to more than 600 children across 18 school districts in nine counties. The USDA-funded initiative is designed to support families in rural communities where transportation barriers and rising food costs can make summer food access difficult.
Barry Lewis, chief communications officer for the Regional Food Bank, says the program is meant to replace the consistency of school meals during the academic year.
“We forget that food insecurity is such a major problem in this area and actually throughout the country,” Lewis said. “But particularly in parts of your listening area that when it comes to weekends, when it comes to the summer, the generosity of New York State in terms of free breakfast and free lunch goes away.”
The meal kits will be delivered directly to families’ homes over 10 weeks starting in late June. Each weekly box includes seven breakfasts and seven lunches for each child, with items such as cereal, milk, fruit, pasta, chicken nuggets, and juice.
Lewis says the program relies on partnerships with school districts to identify eligible families.
“It’s a federally-funded program by the USDA,” he said. “And the criteria is that it must be a rural school district and that they have to meet eligibility requirements in terms of low income families.”
In Sullivan County, participating districts include Eldred, Rockland, Sullivan West, and Franklin Central School in Delaware County.
The Food Bank is also continuing its Summer Backpack Program, which will serve about 2,000 additional students across multiple districts in Sullivan, Orange, and Ulster counties, including Monticello, Fallsburg, Marlboro, Highland Falls, and New Paltz.
Lewis says offering multiple programs helps the organization reach more families in different ways, but he adds that rising diesel fuel costs continue to strain operations.
“In May, the Regional Food Bank spent an additional $10,000 just in the month of May,” Lewis said, noting that the increase translates to about 30,000 meals.
Despite the added costs, he said the organization has continued to expand services.
“As you can see, we’re actually in many ways expanding,” Lewis said. “But in order to do so and with the increase in gas prices, we’re reaching out for even further donations, further help from the state and from folks in the community.”
For those looking to support or learn more, Lewis pointed to the organization’s website.
“For every dollar we raise, we’re able to provide three meals because we buy in such large quantities,” he said.
Image: The Regional Food Bank’s Summer Backpack Program will serve about 2,000 students. (Regional Food Bank)