A report released by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) confirms that Vermont continues to be a national leader in the fight to end childhood hunger, especially during the summer months when free school meals are not available. The “Hunger Doesn’t Take a Vacation” report shows the largest nationwide positive increase in participation in summer nutrition for children since 1993, with an average daily participation increase of 7.3%. The national Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) which has made outreach on summer nutrition a priority along with state partners such as Vermont’s Agency of Education and Hunger Free Vermont. Vermont ranks 4th in the country for utilization of this program.
Over the past decade, Vermont has seen consistent growth in the SFSP among low-income children despite declining overall school enrollment. However, in this difficult financial climate, many summer meal sites struggle to cover added costs such as transportation, site supervision and enrichment programming.
“The rural nature of our state presents unique challenges for sponsors who provide summer meals to children,” said Derrick Lambert, Child Nutrition Initiatives Manager at Hunger Free Vermont. “For these programs to be successful, children and families need access to opportunities for both nutrition and enrichment activities. While USDA Child Nutrition Programs provide critical funding for these efforts, communities must be very resourceful in stretching those dollars to maximum effect and identifying other funding sources to cover shortfalls.”
To prevent the loss in programming and support expansion of summer meal programs, organizations like Hunger Free Vermont have worked with the USDA and local communities to find new and creative solutions to feed more children in the summer months. Libraries, day care centers and housing developments have become popular locations for summer meal sites, providing enhanced services to children and families in locations they already frequent. Innovative approaches like these have led to an increase in summer meal sites active across Vermont – over 270 locations served meals in 2014 – and the USDA has provided direct support to Vermont summer meals programs in the form of banners, yard signs, and posters publicizing summer site locations.
While Vermont continues to lead the way in making summer meals available, more work still needs to be done. Less than 8,000 of the 37,000 children who qualify for free school meals accessed summer meals in 2014. By promoting summer meal sites, partner organizations around the state are working hard to increase the number of children participating in summer meal and activity programs this summer.
Free summer meal program kickoff events are happening around Vermont in June at the following locations:
· June 5th - Brattleboro: Brattleboro Boys & Girls Club will host a Summer Food Kickoff. Festivities begin at 5:00 PM.
· June 18th - Newport: Green Mountain Farm to School will have a 'Block Party in the Kingdom' from 3:00-6:00 PM at Gardner Park in Newport. Farmers' market, activities, live music, and free food for kids 18 and under.
· June 19th - Milton: Summer food sponsor and acting School Nutrition Association of Vermont President Steve Marinelli will host a carnival and BBQ for kids on school grounds beginning at 11:00 AM.
Source: June 1, 2015 (South Burlington, VT)—Hunger Free Vermont. To find out where summer meal sites are located in Vermont, children and families can dial 211 or text ‘FOOD’ to 877-877.