Feeding Hungry Hearts: How a Texas Community Came Together to Nourish Children During the Summer

As the school year winds down, the familiar refrain of "School's out for summer!" echoes through the halls, signaling a time of freedom and fun for many students. However, for some children, the end of the academic calendar means the loss of a reliable source of daily sustenance. In a West Texas county, a remarkable partnership has emerged to ensure that no child goes hungry, even when the school doors are closed.

Bridging the Hunger Gap: A Community's Collective Effort

Identifying the Need

In the San Angelo Independent School District, approximately 60% of students qualified for free or reduced-price lunch. When the school year ended, these children faced the prospect of losing access to this essential source of nourishment. Mary Herbert, the West Texas regional director for the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty (BCHP), recognized this gap in services and knew something had to be done.

Mobilizing the Community

Fifteen years ago, Herbert and her friends at Southland Baptist Church in San Angelo embarked on a mission to address this pressing issue. They initiated a visioning process, seeking to deepen their involvement in the local community. Through this process, they discovered that while schools were providing meals during summer school, there was nothing available for the rest of the summer until the new school year began.Determined to fill this void, Herbert and her team began reaching out to every organization they could think of that served food, sharing their vision of creating meal sites for children throughout the summer months. Their efforts soon caught the attention of House of Faith, an organization that had already established an initiative called Community Connect, which paired churches with local schools.

A Collaborative Effort

With House of Faith on board, the initiative gained momentum. Without exception, the church-school partnerships signed on to help with the summer meal sites. The collaboration was truly ecumenical, with members of different denominations coming together to support the cause. As Herbert described, "We had people at First Baptist Church cooking and serving food at the Catholic Church on the east side. And the Episcopal church was helping the Methodist for another site. It was really rewarding to see how everybody pulls together when there's a need."

Securing Support and Funding

In 2009, the BCHP, then known as the Texas Hunger Initiative, was seeking communities to pilot food planning associations, now called "hunger-free community coalitions." While Tom Green County wasn't initially selected, the determined team at Southland Baptist Church persisted, convinced that their project was the best way to address the issue. After some convincing, they were eventually chosen as a pilot community, and the Tom Green County Hunger Coalition continues to make a difference in San Angelo and the surrounding areas.

Implementing the "Kids Eat Free" Program

The "Kids Eat Free" program at Southland Baptist Church runs for approximately six weeks, from around July 4th until the start of the new school year in August. Each Sunday School class takes responsibility for a day, handling the shopping, cooking, and serving of the meals. The program also includes fun activities and visits from local organizations, such as the police department and state park representatives, to engage the children and their families.

Expanding the Reach

The success of the "Kids Eat Free" program in San Angelo has inspired other communities to adopt similar initiatives. Abilene, for example, has also implemented the program to address the hunger needs of Taylor County. Herbert and her team are more than willing to provide support and guidance to others who are interested in replicating their model.

Addressing Rural Challenges

While the "Kids Eat Free" program has been a resounding success in urban and suburban areas, the BCHP's West Texas office, led by Betty Teston, has faced unique challenges in reaching children in rural communities. The lack of staff to run meal sites in these areas has led the organization to explore alternative solutions, such as drive-through food distribution. However, Teston and her team remain committed to finding effective strategies to ensure that all children, regardless of their location, have access to the nourishment they need during the summer months.

Sustaining the Effort

The "Kids Eat Free" program is entirely privately funded, with no support from the Texas Department of Agriculture. The participating churches view it as a ministry, and the community's appreciation for the program has been overwhelming. Some families have even become members of local churches due to their involvement in the meal sites.The Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty continues to explore innovative ways to combat hunger in Texas, partnering with organizations like the Texas Department of Agriculture to increase participation at meal sites. As the landscape of summer food assistance evolves, the dedication and creativity of the "Kids Eat Free" team and their community partners remain a shining example of how collective action can make a profound difference in the lives of children in need.