SALT LAKE CITY, June 5, 2023 – Utah Food Bank is proud to announce that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has officially declared sponsorship of the Summer Food Service Program. The program will extend Utah Food Bank’s Kids Cafe program by providing free meals to children 18 years of age and under in both “Open Sites” and “Enrolled Programs.” Approximately 146,000 meals will be served at 58 sites through the Summer Food Service Program, and consist of either breakfast, lunch or supper depending on the site. For a complete list and schedule of summer meal sites, visit www.UtahFoodBank.org/SummerMeals.
According to Ginette Bott, Utah Food Bank President & CEO, “When school is out, children lose access to school meal programs, and families must find a way to provide additional meals on already-tight budgets. During the summer we often see parents skipping meals to help cover this meal gap. It’s also a time when donations slow down, so summer ends up being one of our most critical times of need.”
Utah Food Bank is offering these free summer meals, which could consist of breakfast, lunch or supper, at a variety of locations in Salt Lake, Utah, Washington, Weber, Davis, Iron, San Juan, and Grand counties. Many sites are offering meals daily throughout the week, and days of service and dates vary by location. Other service providers are offering additional Summer Food Service Program sites across the state, so for a complete list of resources in your area, you can text “FOOD” to 304-304. There are a total of more than 300 sites statewide, 58 of which are run by Utah Food Bank.
Additionally, as the need for food assistance spikes in the summer months, so too does the need for support. Utah Food Bank’s Summer Business Food & Fund Drive lasts until the end of August, and during this timeframe they encourage businesses and organizations of all shapes and sizes to host food and fund drives within their workplace. Utah Food Bank provides all the tools you need to host a successful food or fund drive, or even a combination of both. You can even set up an online fundraising page with a unique URL so that you can track your success in real time. Further information can be found at www.UtahFoodBank.org/summer.
About Utah Food Bank
Founded in 1904, Utah Food Bank has operated under various names but remains true to its mission of Fighting Hunger Statewide by providing food to a statewide network of 230 emergency food pantries and agencies. Last fiscal year, Utah Food Bank distributed 67.3 million pounds of food and goods, the equivalent of approximately 56.1 million meals, to families and individuals in need across the state. For more information about Utah Food Bank, visit www.utahfoodbank.org. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/UtahFoodBank and Twitter at www.twitter.com/UtahFoodBank.
