WEST HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — Summer vacation means no free school lunches for thousands of Connecticut children. That leaves many families scrambling to feed hungry kids. Experts say, there is plenty of help available, largely through federally-funded SUN Meals and Sun Bucks programs.
“Hunger does not take a holiday. It doesn’t take a summer break,” said Jennifer Heath, president & CEO of the United Way of Greater New Haven at a Tuesday morning press conference at a West Haven food pantry.
The lack of school meals is why groups like the United Way want everyone to know about the extra food assistance available to families during the summer. In cities like New Haven, kids can get at least breakfast and lunch at lots of places.
“Ages 18 and under at over 55 sites, school and community sites, across the city,” explained New Haven Public Schools’ food services director, Baron Young. “There’s no registration. There’s no ID needed, just real food for real kids.”
When it comes to dinner, there is additional summer help for families buying groceries.
“I also encourage families with children to participate in a SUN bucks program that provides $120 in EBT or SNAP benefits during the summer for each school-aged child,” Susan Harris of Witnesses to Hunger and CFAN said.
At the end of the summer, many communities see a two week gap between the end of meals and beginning of school.
The United Way fills that meal gap by giving away bags of groceries every year, just like they do for winter and spring breaks. The idea is for kids to be successful, they cannot go hungry, even in the summer.
“Food is love, food is justice, and food is power, and when we feed our children, we nourish our future,” Young said.
The experts said families that are already enrolled in food assistance are probably automatically enrolled in SUN meals and SUN bucks. But, if you’re not sure, it does not hurt to apply.
For more information about the United Way of Greater New Haven’s summer meal program, go to: https://uwgnh.org/GNHSummerMealsGuide
For more on the USDA’s SUN Meals program, go to: https://www.fns.usda.gov/summer/sitefinder
End Hunger CT has more resources on their website.
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