Every year, we come together to #StopSummerHunger.

For some children and their families, summer vacation from school lasts up to 90 days. Nearly 300,000 children in our community are facing hunger this summer. The rising cost of food rent, and utilities makes it harder for families and caregivers experiencing hunger to fill in the gap while school is out for the summer. Without your support, 1 in 6 kids will spend their summer worrying about their next meal instead of playing.

You can help get food to kids and their families so they can be nourished, and have fewer worries, throughout the summer.

Donations of food and funds often trend down in the summer months. At the same time, the need increases, and our network of partner agencies focuses on offering fresh, nutritious food for families experiencing hunger. 

Together we can help our neighbors in need and ensure growing children get access to nutritious food so they can continue to grow, play, and learn.

What the Food Bank is doing:

Here are a few things the Food Bank is focused on this summer to help provide more access to nutritious food.

• Kids Summer Meals
  • With our many community partners, including North Carolina school districts, the Food Bank is working to provide as many meals as possible to children and teens for as long as needed, by operating free meal sites. Click here for kids summer meals sites.

• Working to continue direct food distributions throughout the summer, through pop-up markets in rural areas and in communities that have been systemically marginalized.
• Partnering with local farmers and growers to increase access to fresh, nutritious produce during summer months while supporting our local food system.

How you can help the Food Bank meet the increased need:

• Donate funds:  
  • During the months of June and July, your donation is DOUBLED– meaning every dollar can provide 10 meals for the community.
  • Click here to make a donation.
• Donate food: 
  • We’re always in need of the types of shelf-stable items that you pick up for your own family: things like peanut butter, canned tuna fish and chicken, soup, pasta, and canned fruits and veggies. Click here to learn more about hosting your own food drive.  

• Donate time:
  • We make it easy to self-schedule individually or as a group at any of our six branches: visit foodbankcenc.org/volunteer.
    
•  Advocate in your community!
  • Tell your lawmakers: End child summer hunger!
    • For kids that depend on school meal programs, the summer months can mean empty tummies. Kids should have access to reliable, nutritious meals to help them grow and thrive all year long. Urge your lawmakers to support legislation that will invest in kids and end child summer hunger.

Many thanks to our partners that make it possible to STOP SUMMER HUNGER!