Hunger Task Force Connects Thousands of Children Across Wisconsin with Free Summer Meals

Written by Tania Ramsey, Hunger Task Force Child Nutrition Organizer

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For many children, summer is a time for fun, family, and fresh air. For families facing food insecurity, the end of the school year can be very stressful. During the school year, thousands of Wisconsin children rely on school breakfast and lunch programs for consistent access to nutritious meals. During the summer, kids do not have access to those meals which leaves many families struggling to fill the gap.

At Hunger Task Force, we know hunger doesn’t take a summer vacation. That’s why we work year-round with national and local partners – like the Department of Public Instruction, No Kid Hungry and the USDA – to connect children with healthy summer meals through the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), Rural Non-Congregate meal service and Summer EBT.

SFSP is one of the nation’s most effective anti-hunger programs. It provides free meals to children ages 18 and younger throughout the summer. Meals are served at schools, parks, libraries, community centers, faith-based organizations and other locations where children gather when school is not in session. A key strength of the program is its accessibility because children do not need to register or apply for meals, show proof of income or participate in other food assistance programs to be fed. All children need to do is visit a public meal site during its designated hours of service.

In Milwaukee County, Hunger Task Force leads and coordinates the Milwaukee Model – a collaborative network of schools, community organizations, local government agencies and meal providers working together to expand access to summer meals. Through this coordinated approach, Hunger Task Force helps connect children to meal sites, supports local sponsors through advertising and onsite management and strengthens participation in the Summer Food Service Program across the county.

Last year, nearly 478,000 summer meals were served to youth across Milwaukee County which demonstrates the impact of community partnerships in ensuring children have reliable access to nutritious food throughout the summer months. Leading Wisconsin retailer Kohl’s provides suppers at many participating meal sites.

While sponsors of breakfasts and lunches receive reimbursement through the SFSP, many sites do not receive reimbursement for suppers. Because of the generosity of Kohl’s, Hunger Task Force helps cover these additional meal costs to ensure children have access to nutritious food throughout the day while reducing financial stress for many families.

In rural communities across Wisconsin, it’s challenging for children to travel to a designated location to access healthy meals daily. To make healthy eating more accessible, the Rural Non-Congregate meal service allows approved sites to provide meals through pick-up and take-home models to ensure children can still receive nutritious food even when attending a meal site every day is not feasible.

The growth of Rural Non-Congregate meal service across Wisconsin has been remarkable. In 2023, Hunger Task Force supported 11 sponsors that operated 20 sites across 13 counties. In just three years, the network has expanded to 52 sponsors operating 115 sites in 40 counties.

Last year alone, those sites distributed 686,224 meals to children and families across the state. This rapid expansion reflects both the effectiveness of the model and the strong demand for summer nutrition options that meet families where they are.