Chillicothe, OH – Chillicothe City Schools is one of ten organizations in Ohio set to receive part of over $104,000 in grants from No Kid Hungry. These funds aim to ensure children have access to nutritious meals throughout the summer, a critical time when many kids face hunger due to the absence of school-provided meals.
For many children who rely on free and reduced-price meals during the school year, summer can be the hungriest time of the year. This situation is particularly challenging for rural families, where logistical issues often prevent children from accessing summer meal programs.
A recent No Kid Hungry survey highlighted the struggles rural families face during the summer, with over half reporting insufficient funds for food and 80% spending an average of $168 more on groceries each month when school is out.
No Kid Hungry Ohio’s grants will help address these issues by supporting the flexibility needed to offer non-congregate meal services in rural areas. This flexibility allows for multiple meal pickups at once or home delivery options, making it easier for families to access the food they need.
“There’s long been a huge gap between the number of kids getting meals in the summertime and the kids who really need them – particularly in rural communities. New flexibilities for summer meals in rural communities means that no longer has to be the case,” said Ashley Roudebush, No Kid Hungry Ohio manager. “We’re excited to support these schools and community groups in offering summer meals in ways that work for their community – like allowing families to pick up multiple meals at a time or even offering home delivery.”
The grants will cover various costs, including meal delivery, refrigeration, and transportation. The organizations receiving grants include:
- Carrollton Exempted Village Schools
- Chillicothe City Schools
- Community Action Organization of Scioto County, Inc.
- Fremont City Schools
- Galion City Schools
- Kenton City Schools
- Marion City Schools
- Ottawa County Family Advocacy Center
- River Valley Local Schools
- Washington Court House City Schools
No Kid Hungry is also helping families locate summer meal sites through their Free Meals Finder map and texting hotline. Parents and caregivers can text the word “FOOD” (or “COMIDA” for Spanish) to 304-304 to find nearby meal sites.
No Kid Hungry Ohio is a collaboration between No Kid Hungry and the Children’s Hunger Alliance, focused on ending childhood hunger in Ohio by ensuring children have reliable access to nutritious food year-round.
