ATLANTA – For kids who receive school meals, the summer months can be the hungriest time of year. No Kid Hungry Georgia provided 12 organizations across the state with a total of $114,739 to help reach more kids in rural communities with summer meals. The Colquitt County Board of Education was one of those organizations.

Traditional summer meal programs have only reached a fraction of kids in rural communities. However, non-congregate summer meal flexibilities have been a game changer in recent years. No Kid Hungry’s grant funding supports summer meal programs that make meals more accessible for rural families. It delivers meals to children who need them or allows parents to pick meals up at a central location. The meals are taken home for their kids, oftentimes for multiple days at a time.

For many children, during the school year, free and reduced price school meals ensure reliable access to nutrition. When schools close for the summer, however, these meals disappear and families struggle from the strain on already-tight budgets. A statewide poll from No Kid Hungry shows many low-income Georgia families struggle to afford enough food during the summer. Nearly 79% often find themselves without enough money for food and nearly three quarters (73%) struggle to provide their kids with enough nutritious food when school is out in the summer.

“Summer meals are a lifeline for kids and families who rely on school meals throughout the school year,” said Kate Goodin, No Kid Hungry Georgia state campaign senior manager. “We’re excited to support the programs that are making dependable nutrition accessible to families in all corners of the state, reaching many more kids with the food they need to stay healthy over the summer and start the next school year ready to learn.”

For help finding a Summer Meal site, visit NoKidHungry.org/Help. The program is available to all children 18 and under.