By Megan Sayles
AFRO Staff Writer
msayles@afro.com
The summer months are often known as a time of rest and relaxation, with children enjoying a break from school and families taking vacations. But when school is out, so are some of the meal programs that many young people rely on.
Hunger relief experts, like Regina Harmon, CEO of the Food Recovery Network (FRN), say the need for food assistance increases during the summer, when many students no longer have access to the free or reduced-price meals they receive at school.
“For a lot of students, their main meal source is when they are in school. They get breakfast, lunch and sometimes there’s even after-school programming,” said Harmon. “When school ends, we cannot assume that all families will then be able to continue to consistently get their kiddos the nutrition that they deserve and need to grow.”
FRN strives to address hunger by diverting surplus food from college campuses, hotels, farms, local businesses and more to nonprofits, food pantries and other organizations that distribute food to communities in need.
The organization also hosts free produce markets at schools and recreation centers. Harmon said FRN intentionally chooses these sites because they are familiar, trusted spaces where children and their families already gather.
“By the time you are food insecure, you already have other insecurities that you’re grappling with, like economic, transportation, child care and health care insecurity,” said Harmon. “By going to places where everyone already is, it makes access to food a bit more joyful and safe.”
Though FRN’s main priority is to address immediate hunger, the organization also lends its voice to political advocacy, supporting legislation that improves food access and safety.
In addition to calling for an increase to the federal minimum wage to help families afford food, FRN has been pushing for the passage of the Food Date Labeling Act. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), roughly 10 percent of food waste in the U.S. is driven by consumer confusion over how to interpret date labels on food products.
The bill, which has not yet passed Congress, would standardize food date labels by confining them to “Best if Used By” and “Use By,” a change Harmon says will stop families and hunger relief organizations from prematurely discarding food.
“A lot of food banks have to turn away hundreds of thousands of pounds of foods that are still safe to eat simply because of this arbitrary date that may—or may not—be on the packaging,” said Harmon. “With this legislation, we can save consumers billions of dollars, and we can save food that would have gone into landfills that’s still perfectly safe to eat and can now be distributed to people who need it.”
Families looking for food assistance this summer can find free meals, groceries and produce through the following programs:
Food Recovery Network
In partnership with Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks, FRN will distribute free produce after summer camp sessions in July. The events are open to the public and do not require registrations.
- C.C. Jackson Recreation Center
4910 Park Heights Ave., Baltimore, MD 21215
Monday, July 13 from 4-5:30 p.m.
- Cahill Recreation Center
4001 Clifton Ave., Baltimore, MD 21216
Tuesday, July 14 from 4-5:30 p.m.
The Food Project
The Food Project, an organization dedicated to youth empowerment and fighting food insecurity, hosts a weekly pop-up market offering food and community services, along with occasional cooking demonstrations at its community care hub in Southwest Baltimore.
- 424 S. Pulaski St., Baltimore, MD 21223
Tuesdays | 10 a.m.
Thursdays | 10 a.m.
Saturdays | 9 a.m.
D.C. Youth Meals
Children and teens ages 18 and younger can access free meals and snacks at more than 100 sites across all eight wards this summer. No application or ID is required.
Sites operate through late August, with days and hours varying by location.
- Visit osse.dc.gov/dcyouthmeals for daily hours and sites.
- Text FOOD or COMIDA to 304304 or call 1-866-3-HUNGRY for help finding open locations.
Baltimore Summer Food Service Program
Children and teens ages 18 and younger can receive free breakfasts and lunches at participating sites across low-income areas in Baltimore during the summer. No application or ID is required.
Sites operate through Aug. 21, though dates are subject to change based on adjustments to the Baltimore City Public Schools calendar.
- Parents can call 410-396-0773 or enter their ZIP code at https://cityservices.baltimorecity.gov/summerfood/ to locate meal sites.
Capital Area Food Bank Summer Meals Program
Children and teens 18 and younger can access free, nutritious meals at participating sites across Washington, D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia during the summer. No application or ID is required.
- To find nearby sites, using an interactive map and ZIP code search, families can visit https://www.capitalareafoodbank.org/upcoming/campaigns/free-summer-meals-for-kids/.
