On June 20th, 2019, First Focus Campaign for Children wrote a letter to Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) in support of their Hunger Free Summer for Kids Act of 2019 (S. 1966).

Excerpt from the Letter: On behalf of First Focus Campaign for Children, a bipartisan children’s advocacy organization dedicated to making children a priority in federal budget and policy decisions, I am writing to express our support for the Hunger Free Summer for Kids Act of 2019. This legislation is an important component of the comprehensive package needed to fight summer hunger for millions of our nation’s children.

As you know, food insecurity is a devastating reality for 12.5 million—or 1 in 6—children across the country. For these children, many of whom are already exposed to the harmful effects of poverty, this inconsistent access to enough healthy food creates yet another obstacle to their ability to learn, grow, and thrive. Child Nutrition Programs such as the National School Lunch Program and National School Breakfast Program, and Summer Food Service Program are instrumental in ensuring that such children can count on a nourishing meal at school or at a congregate feeding site in the summer. Unfortunately 83 percent of the low-income children enrolled in School Meal programs are not accessing nutrition during the summer. For more than 17 million children, summer is the hungriest time of the year. 

Read the full letter.