In an effort to bridge the meal gap for children during the summer months, Food Gatherers will sponsor 19 Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) sites for children in Washtenaw County through August 26. The 2021 SFSP is offered in partnership with the Michigan Department of Education and support from Toyota Research & Development, Jon and Ashley Oberheide, Milk Means More and Blue Cross Complete of Michigan.

            In Washtenaw County, more than 6,040 children are food-insecure, meaning they do not have reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food. When school is out for the summer, these students and their families lose access to free and reduced-price school meals.

            Chronic hunger has an especially detrimental impact on children that are still growing and developing. “Many families are unsure of how they will pay for food for their children,” says LeRonica Roberts, Food Gatherers community food programs coordinator. “This year, many more families continue to experience reduced or lost income as a result of the pandemic.”

For Locations and more information, visit FoodGatherers.org/summerfood.