Summer Highlight: Filling the Summer Meal Gap with Regional School Break Distributions

The bell rings. Most students start to cheer and shout, “School’s out for summer!” But there are too many children who worry and wonder, “Now where will I get my lunch from?”

Children across San Diego County rely on school food programs as a critical source for their everyday meals. Here in San Diego, more than 1 in 6 kids have to wonder where their next meal is coming from. Once schools are on break, however, they no longer receive school lunches, meaning parents now have to find some way to fill the gap.

Feeding San Diego works hard to ensure that kids and their families aren’t left hungry when school’s not in session. We have a Summer Meal program (School Food Service Program) that provides lunches and snacks to children and teens from June – August. And we work with the San Diego Unified School District to offer food and resources at Summer Fun Cafe BBQs.

In addition, Feeding San Diego has Regional School Break Distributions to help ease the grocery bill burden so many families now face. FSD works with schools in all sectors of the county to provide farmers-market style distributions for families facing hunger. Anyone can show up, choose the food they need, and bring it home to their families.

Four schools across the county will host two to three distributions this summer, providing vital produce and goods to families in need.

North: Orange Glen High School, June 13, July 11, and August 1, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

South: Loma Verde Elementary, June 28 and July 12, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM

Central: Central Elementary, July 25 and August 15, 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM

East: Naranca Elementary, June 27, July 18, and August 8, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM

More than 70% of the food distributed at these school sites is fresh produce. Feeding San Diego’s focus on produce helps children and families get the proper nutrients they need to grow and thrive.

Along with providing food to students who otherwise would be at risk of summer hunger, Feeding San Diego also helps families apply for CalFresh, a state program that helps put healthy, nutritious food on the table for low-income people who meet federal income eligibility rules. This is an important part of FSD’s commitment to building a hunger-free and healthy San Diego.

To find out what you can do to help provide summer meals for children facing hunger, visit our Fuel for Summer page.