For kids and families who depend on free and reduced-cost school meals, it can be challenging to provide these additional meals over the summer months - especially here in Philadelphia where kids experience food insecurity at a rate of 25.5%. That's double the national average. At the Coalition Against Hunger we work to ensure Philly kids have access to free, healthy meals throughout the summer by operating a live Summer Meals Hotline and maintaining a Summer Meals Map for our 5-county area.
Child food insecurity is a crisis in Philadelphia, where the food insecurity rate for children is a staggering 25.5% - double the national average. Families of kids who receive free and reduced-cost lunch during the school year face the challenge of providing these additional meals when school is out for summer. While the Summer Meals Program lessens the burden, the federal program currently reaches just 1 of every 7 kids who qualify for free and reduced-cost lunch.
At the Coalition Against Hunger, our Summer Meals work is centered on increasing awareness of the Summer Meals Program and boosting participation locally to build year-round food security for youth across the Philadelphia Region. That's why we operate a dedicated live Summer Meals Hotline to share information about the program and help callers find free, healthy meals nearby for kids 18 and under. We also host a searchable Summer Meals Site Map that is updated weekly with sites open to all kids.
Food insecurity has been shown to negatively impact both a child's physical health and their mental development, which threatens their physical ability, alertness, social capacity, and overall readiness for school and other activities. By creating year-round food security for our youth, we are contributing to their overall wellbeing, supporting their mental health, and fostering social equity. We know hunger is preventable, and this work brings us closer to a truly food secure Philadelphia.
