Summer break is starting on June 21st for students here in the Bellevue School District. For most kids summer means swim lessons, vacations and summer camp…but for kids living in poverty, summer means facing hunger. This is because when school ends, children no longer have access to the free meal programs at school that they depend on.
Summer break should not mean a mother not knowing where her child’s next meal will come from. It should not mean a child missing out on the nutrition they need for adequate growth and development. And it shouldn’t mean children returning to the classroom in the fall undernourished and unable to focus on their classes.
Bellevue LifeSpring’s Breaktime-Mealtime™ program works to fill this gap by providing families with grocery store food vouchers to be used to purchase meals during school breaks.
“Children experiencing hunger are more likely to have emotional, behavioral and academic challenges. When students have good nutrition, the positive impact is clear. Students come to school more motivated and prepared to learn. Breaktime-Mealtime™ solves this challenge by providing students with the healthy food they need to be successful in school.”
Dr. Ivan Duran – Bellevue School District Superintendent
There are currently 2,040 Bellevue children requesting food support this summer. We need YOUR help to raise $51,000 to ensure none of these children go hungry.
Help us ensure that no child in Bellevue misses out on nutrition this summer and donate here.
