For the past several years the South Plains Food Bank has been a driving force behind the Summer Feeding Programs in the Lubbock Area. Tammy Hester, the Child Nutrition Director at the Kitchen of Hope, carefully plans the weekly menu for kids that need a balanced meal during the summer months at a safe and accessible location. The sites (listed HERE) are manned by volunteers who ensure that every kid is fed and all safety guidelines are followed.
The program picks up where the Federal Free and Reduced Breakfast and Lunch programs leave off once the kids are out of school for summer vacation. Approximately 21 million children participated in the free or reduced priced school meal program in FY 2012, just 2.3 million children received meals during the summer months, largely due to the lack of local programs. Simply put, too many of America’s kids are going hungry in the summer months.
While the Food Bank Receives federal funding through The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), the rest of the funding comes from donations.
We are blessed to have some great people and businesses on the South Plains who hate to see the statistic of 1 in 4 children on the South Plains going to bed hungry each day. We invite you to do what you can to help by clicking the “Donate Now” button above and make a donation in honor of the Summer Feeding Program or Kids Cafe.
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