Local school districts and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have several programs in place this summer to help children who normally receive meals through their schools. These programs help to address shortages in areas considered food deserts by the USDA.

Spring ISD and Klein ISD provide meals for children ages 18 and younger during the summer as part of the Texas Department of Agriculture’s Summer Food program. Select apartment complexes and other community sites in Spring and Klein will provide free meals for children as well. To find out which local entities are participating, visit http://summerfood.org.

Klein ISD’s Back Pack Buddies program partners with the Houston Food Bank to provide a package of nonperishable food for students at 15 schools to last through the weekend. Last year, the program provided 665 bags of food for students at a cost of $65 for each student, according to the Houston Food Bank.

Parents can also text “FOOD” or “COMIDA” to 877877 for English and Spanish information about free meal options based on their location. No Kid Hungry developed this system in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.