Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida is piloting a program this summer aimed at alleviating childhood hunger in rural parts of the state.
One in 5 kids in the area is at risk of going hungry over the summer, according to the organization.
Usually families and kids pick up individual breakfasts and lunches on a daily basis at Second Harvest’s Summer Food Service Program sites.
But this year, the food bank is trying something new: allowing families to pick up one box of food for the entire week. The pilot could expand beyond Lake County to other rural parts of the state.
Chief Food Service Officer Nancy Brumbaugh said this could remove transportation and other barriers to accessing free food over the summer break.
“The rural areas don't have the access to school lunches or community programs if there's a transportation barrier or if mom and dad are both working,” said Brumbaugh.
Brumbaugh says parents at the two Lake County sites can pick up boxes with fourteen meals for the week, enough for 7 breakfasts and 7 lunches.
She said the food is similar to what kids get at their school cafeteria during the year, and it's easy for kids to prepare at home by themselves.
“And most of the food you can put in the microwave, you don't have to cook it. Don't have to turn on that stove or oven. It's pretty kid-friendly. So if you have a young teenager at home watching younger siblings, they can manage to make sure everyone eats,” said Brumbaugh.
Joshua Proffitt is with No Kid Hungry, which is partnering with Second Harvest on the initiative.
Proffitt said a simple box of food means so much to so many families who are struggling to make ends meet right now.
“Even middle-class families are feeling this financial pressure, that they're struggling right now. Families are struggling to provide enough food, and rising food costs have compounded all this. And so families are looking for just a little bit of help over the summer months, which is the hungriest time of the year for kids,” said Proffitt.
Proffitt said without this assistance many parents and families have to make tough decisions.
“Parents are making trade-offs, in terms of, like, do I pay for the electricity bill, or do I buy these groceries over here? Do I go without food in order to let my kid eat something,” said Proffitt.
According to Second Harvest, more than 60% of Central Florida kids qualify for free or reduced lunch, but only 9% participate in a summer meal program.
A number of factors including transportation barriers, stigma around going to a food bank, and a lack of information about these programs is to blame.
To find food this summer at a Second Harvest site, use the Feed Hope food locator tool.
Second Harvest’s summer feeding program is part of the wider network of Summer BreakSpots throughout the state.
Families can get free breakfasts, lunches, and snacks at Summer BreakSpots, run by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The more than 3,000 Summer BreakSpots provide free food to kids under the age of 18 at no charge throughout the summer. They are usually at libraries, schools, and houses of worship.
To find your nearest Summer BreakSpot call 2-1-1 or 850-617-7170 or use the Summer BreakSpot locator tool.
Several Central Florida schools have also partnered with the Summer BreakSpot program to provide free breakfasts and lunches to families. Click on your district below to find more information on food that might be provided for free at your child’s school.
