Nebraska’s participation in the Summer Food Program increased slightly in 2014 compared to the year before.
That’s according to the report “Hunger Doesn’t Take a Vacation,” recently released by the Food Research and Action Center.
James Goddard, Director of Nebraska Appleseed’s Economic Justice Program, says participation nationally in summer food service programs has improved.
But he says Nebraska still ranks in the bottom 10 in participation, so Goddard says there is still some work to do to fight hunger in the state during the summer.
"And the reason they are really important is because many kids get school breakfast or school lunch during the school year. Then when school ends they don’t have access so these summer food sites are filling a gap during the summer months for kids.”
Goddard says the logistics of a child getting to a site can be a problem during the summer.
He says one potential solution under the Stop Child Summer Hunger Act, is for families to get an electronic benefit transfer card to use in the summer. Goddard says kids could use the card to buy groceries.
To find a Nebraska summer food site, the website is www.fns.usda.gov/summerfoodrocks.