The saying goes that there’s no such thing as a free lunch. For some people, this is nothing more than an aphorism, but for millions of children who receive free or reduced-priced lunches at school, during the summer it’s a harsh reality.
Nearly 21.5 million kids in the U.S. are eligible for free or reduced-priced meals, yet according to a 2016 report from the Food Research Action Center, only 1 in 6 of them receives that benefit over summer break.
“The summer is a really tough time for low-income families,” said Crystal FitzSimons, director of school and out-of-school time programs for the food research center. “They often lose access to free or reduced-price school meals. The summer is a time of increased food insecurity. Kids are also more likely to gain weight during the summer months.”
How much struggling children rely on their school lunch program was brought home during the Democratic National Convention when actress America Ferrera, the daughter of Honduran immigrants, credited the opportunities afforded her by public schools and public arts programs.
“And you know what, occasionally I needed a free meal to get through the school day,” she said, her voice catching.
[For more of this story, written by Rebecca Liebson, go to https://www.the74million.org/a...curity-for-poor-kids]
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