Help End Summer Hunger: 3 Ways You Can Help Kids Now That School’s Out

In Massachusetts, over 500,000 kids' daily learning is fueled by free, nutritious meals at school. 

When summer is here, many of those same kids are home—and hungry. Without school meals, families face financial strain, and some kids miss out on the nutrition they need to thrive. 

Worse, hunger doesn’t just impact health—it affects learning and stifles long-term success. Students without access to nutritious food and positive social interaction during the summer may lose months of academic progress before fall even begins.

Fortunately, kids in Massachusetts don’t have to worry about falling behind or missing out on the joy of summer break, because compassionate people like you - who believe every child should have enough to eat, every day - help to fill the summer meal gap.

By supporting Summer Eats, you’re not only feeding kids—you’re giving them the summer they deserve. One filled with laughter, learning, and full bellies.

Here’s three ways you can help kids now that school’s out.

You can help keep food on kids’ plates, helping families in every corner of the Commonwealth keep up with the costs of summer: the hungriest time of year for families experiencing food insecurity.

A story about the impact of support for Summer Eats that sticks out is about a boy named Angel. He and his brothers were used to eating free lunch at school every day, especially since his parents separated and his mom was having a hard time filling the gaps. Which only got wider once school let out for summer, and Angel and his brothers were home, bored, and hungry.

As 1 in 3 kids, like Angel, are currently experiencing food insecurity in Massachusetts, your support for Summer Eats will be the difference between a hungry or a carefree summer.

Last year, Project Bread’s supporters - who believe every child should have enough to eat, every day - helped serve over 2 million free meals to kids across Massachusetts. In July 2024 alone, nearly 70,000 children received at least one free meal every single day—and countless memories to go along with it.

Your donations support more than meals:

• Equipment 🧊 Critical items like coolers, carts, or tents to keep meals fresh, safe, and delicious while served to kids.
• Activities 🎉 Promoting engaging play-time, healthy habits, and lasting memories
• Promotion 🧠 Spreading the word in multiple languages and in spaces where families will find the message, so families know where to find help.
• Staffing 👩‍🍳 Employing trusted school staff so familiar faces can feed students year-round.
• And so much more  ❤️

Summer Eats takes the stress out of summer for kids and their families by providing nutritious meals and exciting activities, all totally free of charge.

"Eating lunch with my friends at the park was my favorite part of the summer and the food was delicious"  - Adrianna, a third grader from Waltham

But even though there are now hundreds of meal sites across Massachusetts ready to feed and entertain kids, so many families will still miss out on the life-changing, summer-saving benefits of Summer Eats. Simply because they don’t know it exists.

Spread the word about this amazing program to families in your communities so that they know where they can access free meals for kids and teens this summer - no registration or ID required.

Help make sure families know where to find free meals near them by…

• Hanging a poster

• Posting flyers

• Sharing on social media

By getting the word out to as many families as possible, you’re ensuring no child goes hungry this summer. Visit the Summer Eats Resource Page to download pre-made materials, and spread the word about Summer Eats with ease.

This one’s more for big community players. You see, The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), known in Massachusetts as Summer Eats, is a federally-funded, state-administered program. The meals served are federally-reimbursed, but who will serve the meals and run the program? 

That’s right, Summer Eats needs willing community sites and sponsors to make it all happen! And Project Bread provides support to all the sites and sponsors across Massachusetts to operate Summer Eats in their community. 

Help feed kids in your community while creating a fun, supportive space for them to thrive.

Be a Site: Looking for an opportunity to bring families and local businesses together this summer? Host the fun! Parks, pools, schools, and community centers make great spots to serve free meals to kids 18 and under.

Be a Sponsor: Schools, local agencies, and nonprofits are all eligible to run the show in their community. Sponsors are the behind-the-scenes heroes of Summer Eats, organizing meals, managing staff, and covering all the bases to ensure sites have all they need to run safely and efficiently.

Contact our Child Nutrition Outreach team for assistance offering Summer Eats in your community!

It’s a meaningful way to give back, and we’re here to help every step of the way.

Join our email list for regular updates on your impact and opportunities to make even more of a difference for kids.

Subscribe now!

Let’s make summer better—together!