Launch page to open interactive map and tables for 2020 summer nutrition reports (with data on summer programs in July 2019)
Read the reportLaunch page to open interactive map and tables for 2020 summer nutrition reports (with data on summer programs in July 2019)
Read the reportThe critical role that breakfast plays in
children’s overall well-being does not end when the
school year does.
FRAC has developed a communications toolkit to help you spread the word about the benefits of summer nutrition programs.
Spread the WordThe need to expand the reach of the Summer
Nutrition Programs is more important than ever as
communities continue to respond to COVID-19’s
impacts on food security, education, and the economy.
The Summer EBT program can reduce summer hunger by providing additional resources to purchase food during the summer months for families whose children are certified to receive free or reduced-price school meals during the school year. Summer EBT is a complement to the Summer Nutrition Programs and can help reduce food insecurity for low-income families, particularly in areas with limited access to summer meals.
Find out moreThe Summer Meals Act of 2021 (S. 1170 / H.R. 783), introduced by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Representatives Don Young (R-AK) and Rick Larsen (D-WA), would increase the reach of the Summer Nutrition Programs. The Summer Nutrition Programs help close the summer nutrition gap and support educational and enrichment programs that keep children learning, engaged, and safe when school is out.
Find out moreThe Stop Child Summer Hunger Act of 2019 (S. 1941 / H.R. 3378), introduced by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Representative Susan Davis (D-CA), would provide low-income families with children a Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card to purchase food. This bill provides additional support for families with children during the summer months and does not replace the existing Summer Nutrition Programs.
Find out moreCommunity roundtable discussions are effective and valuable tools to connect local advocates and stakeholders with their Members of Congress during congressional recesses and whenever Members are home. Combining a community roundtable with a site visit offers a unique way for Members to see firsthand the importance of programs, like summer meals, followed by a roundtable discussion that provides a diverse group of advocates and stakeholders a forum to engage.
Fmd out moreInteractive maps and tables providing state-by-state data on participation in breakfast and lunch service through the Summer Nutrition Programs.
Find out moreThe Summer Nutrition Programs play a critical role in closing the summer nutrition gap that exists for low-income families when the school year — and access to school breakfast and lunch — ends.
To make sure you have everything you need to show policymakers that there are too many children in your state missing out on free summer meals, FRAC has developed a communications toolkit for states.
Find out moreThis report measures the reach of the Summer Nutrition Programs in July 2018, nationally and in each state. A companion piece, FRAC’s Hunger Doesn’t Take a Vacation: Summer Breakfast Status Report, focuses on summer breakfast participation.
Read the reportThis report measures the reach of breakfast through the Summer Nutrition Programs in July 2018, nationally and in each state. It is a companion piece to FRAC’s Hunger Doesn’t Take a Vacation: Summer Nutrition Status Report, which focuses on summer lunch participation.
Read the reportThe Summer Nutrition Programs have struggled to meet the need, serving just one child summer lunch for every seven low-income children who participated in school lunch during the regular school year. They are important programs, but their reach is falling far too short of meeting the need.
Read moreThe Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) demonstration pilots studied the utility of providing an electronic benefit card to low-income families to purchase food during the summer months. The evaluation found that Summer EBT reduced very low food insecurity among children by one-third. The pilot tested providing the resources through a SNAP EBT system in Connecticut, Delaware, Missouri, Oregon and Washington and a WIC EBT system in Michigan, Nevada, Texas and the Cherokee and Chickasaw Tribal Nations.
Read the reportDuring the summer, far too many children and adolescents experience food insecurity, weight gain, and learning loss, compromising their health and ability to thrive during summer break and beyond. A key strategy to address these issues is to connect more students — especially low-income students — to high-quality summer meal and enrichment programs, which support student food security, health, and learning. This brief first summarizes important research on summertime food insecurity, weight gain, and learning loss, and then describes the value and effectiveness of the federal Summer Nutrition Programs and summer enrichment programming.
Read the report