No Cost Summer Meals Available for Kids Across North Texas
Nearly 1 in 5 children face hunger in North Texas.
The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) announced today that children and teens 18 years old and younger and students with disabilities up to 21 years old can access no-cost meals in July through the Summer Meals Program, administered by the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) in partnership with Feeding Texas. These nutritious meals are availablenow to keep kids fed this summer.
Recent data from Feeding America’s 2024 Map the Meal Gap study highlights Texas as the leading state in food insecurity, surpassing California, with nearly 5 million residents affected. The Dallas-Fort Worth area ranks highest in Texas and third in the nation for the number of people experiencing hunger. Within the 25 counties served by NTFB and Tarrant Area Food Bank, 1.2 million individuals, or 1 in 7, face food insecurity, with nearly 40% of them being children. Specifically, more than 436,000 children in the DFW area, or 1 in 5, are at risk of hunger, particularly during the summer when school meal programs are unavailable.
“As school closes for the summer each year, many families are faced with replacing free or reduced priced meals their children receive on campus during the school year—sometimes up to 10 meals per week for each child,” said North Texas Food Bank President and CEO Trisha Cunningham. “In addition to the food available from local food banks, the Summer Meals Program helps ensure that children are nourished during the summer and ready to learn when school starts in August.”
Families can visit SummerFood.org or text FOOD or COMIDA to 304-304 to find a summer meal site nearby.
“Food banks know that here in Texas, hunger doesn’t take a summer vacation,” said Celia Cole, CEO of Feeding Texas, the state association of food banks. “While summer should be a time of fun and relaxation for kids, it can also mean up to 90 days without the reliable school meals so many kids depend on to thrive. That’s why the Texas Department of Agriculture’s Summer Meals Program is so important to our communities.”
Because meal site schedules can be subject to change, we recommend that families call to confirm dates, times, and meal service details. Families do not have to apply, register or provide identification.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) funds the Summer Meals Program – including the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and the Seamless Summer Option (SSO).
