Summer can be one of the most expensive times of year for some families.
When school lets out, parents whose children rely on free and reduced lunch often face higher grocery bills, increased childcare costs, and rising utility expenses as children spend more time at home. For families balancing work, household budgets, and busy schedules, those added costs can quickly add up.
That is why programs that partner with the Central Texas Food Bank (CTFB) and combine enriching activities with free summer meals can make a meaningful difference.
Diana Haggerty, whose children attend a camp at a CTFB partner meal site in Austin, knows firsthand how valuable access to free meals can be for families during the summer months.
"I was like, surely it's not free. Surely not."
With the cost of many summer camps continuing to climb, the idea of a free program offering activities, supervision, and meals seemed almost too good to be true. It’s kept her coming back year after year.
"It is wonderful, not only for my children, but knowing that it's available to other children in the community," she said. "It has been a blessing for us having four kids at home through the years."
More Than a Meal
While free summer meal sites provide children with reliable access to nutritious food, Diana says the impact extends far beyond lunch. Her children have always been fans of school lunches, making the transition into summer a noticeable change for both routine and household expenses.
"Summertime can feel really scary when now more meals are made at home," Diana said. "Having the Central Texas Food Bank provide nourishing food for the kiddos is a blessing in so many ways."
Nourishment, Connection, and Opportunity
Each week, CTFB prepares and distributes approximately 30,000 meals at camp sites like the one Diana’s children attend and via box deliveries to rural locations where families may not have access to organized summer activities.
Diana appreciates the variety of meals offered and the opportunity for children to try new foods.
"The variety of food that comes through and the care that you can tell is taken with creating the meals," she said. "It gives the kids an opportunity to be exposed to different things too."
She encourages her children to try everything on the menu, whether it's a familiar favorite or something completely new.
"I always encourage my kids who are here and participating to try everything."
Knowing that a nutritious meal is waiting for her children each day provides a sense of stability and reassurance.
"It's great to know that there's something reliable, nutritionally complete, available, and gifted to them."
For Diana, the program's impact is simple.
"It has been a blessing."
Need Help or Want to Help? Looking for Free Summer Meals?
CTFB’s free Summer Meals program provides free meals for children at sites throughout Central Texas during the summer months.
To find a meal site near you, view our complete list of summer meal locations: Free Meals for Kids & Teens | Central Texas Food Bank
Help Make Summer Meals Possible
Programs like the Summer Meals program help ensure children have reliable access to nutritious food when school is out. Right now, every gift will go even further thanks to a matching gift opportunity, helping provide more meals for children and families throughout Central Texas.
Make your matched gift today.
