Houston Food Bank to connect students with no-cost summer meals

The Houston Food Bank will kick off its Summer Food Service Program starting June 8 to help connect children and students with free, healthy meals over the summer.

Why it matters

The Texas Department of Agriculture administers the program to ensure that children who rely on school meals during the academic year continue to receive a "source of good nutrition" during the long summer break, according to a May 26 news release.

“One in five children in Houston Food Bank’s 18-county service area experiences food insecurity, which means they don’t have consistent access to nutritious food,” said Brian Greene, president and CEO of Houston Food Bank. “In order to address this issue, the Houston Food Bank distributes meals to children through community partners during the school year as well as the summer."

How it works

The Summer Food Service Program will run from June 8 through Aug. 7. Any child from the community can receive a meal at any of the food bank's participating sites, per the release.

Kids are able to dine together at the congregate sites or take meals off-site to eat elsewhere, which includes a grab-and-go five-day bundled meal pick up only at participating locations. According to the release, noncongregate sites may require the parent or guardian to provide proof of school enrollment if picking up meals without a child present.

Meals are on a first-come, first-served basis. To see a full map of locations, visit the Houston Food Bank's website.