Summer Nutrition Programs Help Kids Avoid Hunger

As America seeks a return to pre-pandemic normalcy, we must not forget some of the myriad lessons this public health crisis has brought to light.

Among them is the need for safety net programs that serve as a proverbial -- if not literal -- lifeline for individuals who've fallen on hard times. At its spring 2020 peak, the pandemic led to 22 million job losses, causing many to fall behind on rent and mortgage, or to simply make ends meet.

The pandemic has also exacerbated food insecurity. Children are among the most vulnerable to suffer from hunger. During the summer when schools are in recess, some kids, especially those who normally qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, are likely to experience greater food insecurity because the meals they depended on during the academic year are unavailable.
The truth is, though, nutritious meals can be made available, thanks to strong partnerships between nonprofits, governments, and school districts.

As an example, Islamic Relief USA (IRUSA), a nonprofit humanitarian and advocacy organization, is partnering with several entities in the region: the Islamic Center of Detroit Inc., Sylvester Broome Empowerment Village in Flint, and Zaman International in Inkster, to provide nutritious meals this summer. The program will remain in place until the first week of September.
Between these locations, and the nine others where IRUSA is actively supporting various community based organizations, some 76,000 children around the country are anticipated to participate in such programs.

This model has served well, as local organizations can best identify hunger in their respective regions. Even more, these organizations’ meal sites have received approval from the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service, which manages the Summer Food Service Program.

Summer feeding programs provide free, balanced meals when school is not in session.
The need for such programs has become even more acute given the rising trend of inflation. According to the Labor Department, food prices overall increased 2.2 percent in May 2021. Milk and fruit --both staples of traditional school meals -- saw even bigger price hikes, of 4.6 percent and 5.9 percent, respectively.

In the Detroit area, such programs can only help. Local officials have pointed to the general limited availability of grocery stores and healthful food offerings in the city.

In addition to the economic benefits, healthy meals are just plain necessary for a child’s well-being. One professor, Cheryl Anderson of the Department of Family & Public Health at the University of California-San Diego, said some 12 million children could be severely impacted if summer feeding programs aren’t available. She added that the meals help kids from becoming obese, among other health risks, and may help them learn better. Studies have shown a link between poor nutrition and substandard academic performance.

Summertime is notorious for kids to lose a lot of what they learned during the school year due to insufficient mental engagement, a phenomena known as the "summer slide." That is particularly the case for children from households of limited incomes, who may not get exposure to academic, recreational, and experiential learning opportunities that their more well-resourced peers may have experienced.

While it's not guaranteed a good nutritious meal will entirely revert the learning loss, the hope is that at least it will help promote healthy eating habits in the following school year, which can help pave their success.