Summer Vacation is Here But For Struggling Families It’s a Time of Worry and Stress

School is officially out for summer but 12 weeks is a long time for kids and their families not to know where their next meal might be coming from. Families were already struggling to make ends meet even before prices of food and gas started to rise. Now, without breakfast and lunch programs offered during the school year, parents will spend an average of $316 more per month* on groceries. Add in child care costs and higher utility bills to providing two extra meals a day. Not exactly a relaxing summer vacation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just in the last month, we at Loaves & Fishes/Friendship Trays saw a 16% jump in the number of visits to our food pantries and we expect that number to rise.

Historically, July has always been one of our busiest months of the year as it’s the one month that kids are out of school the entire month. It’s also the time of year when donations are at their lowest. People get busy with summer vacations and hunger is not top of mind.

But hunger never takes a vacation.

To help ease the transition to summer, the last two weeks of school, counselors called in record numbers to take advantage of our “refill” or pre-approved referrals for their families. That equates to four referrals made at one time that can be spread out in order to get school children and their families through the summer months.

We want to make sure that no parent has to worry or skip a meal so their child can eat. That is why we are here – to provide access to nutritious groceries and alleviate the stress of wondering “How am I going to feed my family?”

Want to help? Your donation will help put groceries on the table of a neighbor in our community. Donate today.