(Tyler, Texas) May 22, 2019 – The East Texas Food Bank’s Summer Food Program will kick-off Tuesday, May 28^th  at Glass Recreation Center, 501 W. 32^nd Street in Tyler, at 11:45 am.  The program provides free nutritious meals to children at over 50 sites throughout East Texas.  When the school year comes to a close, children across East Texas will lose access to free and reduced-price meals they depend on for nourishment, including over 75,000 children in the 26-counties the East Texas Food Bank serves. Families with already overextended budgets are forced to make up for lost school meals, which the East Texas Food Bank experiences as an increased need for food assistance to support children and their families who live on the brink of hunger during the summer.

“The East Texas Food Bank’s Summer Food Program is one of the most important child hunger programs in our community,” said Dennis Cullinane, CEO of the East Texas Food Bank.
“Every year the Summer Food Program provides nutritious meals to fill that all important free or reduced lunchtime meal gap that is left when our kids are away from school on summer break.”

The East Texas Food Bank’s Summer Food Program provides meals FREE to all children 18 and under at participating feeding sites.  To participate, children just need to show up.  There is no need to register and no proof of age or income is required.  Meals and snacks are also available to persons with disabilities, over age 18, who participate in school programs for people who are mentally or physically disabled.

The East Texas Food Bank purchases all the food for the Summer Food Program. If you wish to make a monetary donation or find a site near you, visit EastTexasFoodBank.org/SummerFood.