Summer Hunger Hits Harder

This time of year, most Maryland school children are trying to stay focused, while anticipating that final afternoon school bell ringing, signaling the start of summer.

But for many of their parents and caretakers, the end of the school year means anxiously trying to figure out how to stretch their budgets to pay for the breakfasts and lunches their kids were receiving at school.

At the Maryland Food Bank, we too have been those students and are those parents – so we know just how challenging summertime can be. We’re thankful that your support allows us to apply what we know about childhood hunger to actions like running convenient feeding programs like Summer and Supper Clubs, advocating for change in Annapolis, and innovating new strategies to help families better manage out-of-school time.

Summer Hunger’s Side Effects

During the summer months, children are more likely to experience food insecurity. Add in continued uncertainty about the high cost of goods, the job market, and the overall economy, and this summer has the potential to be even more challenging for Maryland families. The impacts are short- and long-term: A review of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that food-insecure kids aged 6-11 not only had decreased scores in reading and math but were also more likely to repeat a grade.

Another study found that “children from food-insecure households were two times more likely to experience persistent symptoms of hyperactivity/inattention than children who are not food insecure.”

Thoughtful Solutions to Tough Challenges

In Maryland, more than 1 in 3 families (39%) continue to live below the ALICE Survival Budget Threshold and are forced to seek assistance from our programs and partners.

But no child should have to worry about falling behind their peers during the summer due to a lack of food, so we offer access to nutritious meals and other services at or near places where families live, work, and shop.

At more than 200 sites statewide, School Pantries are helping to remove barriers to success for students and their families. In FY25, they accessed nearly 3.3 million meals at local schools.

Some School Pantries, like the one at Waverly Elementary in Frederick, stay open year-round. In other areas, we partner with established community organizations to give parents the choice of Summer and Supper Clubs.

At Summer Clubs, kids receive tasty (and healthy) lunches prepared by MFB’s Chef Marcia and her team; kids can also enjoy sports, arts & crafts and other daytime activities in a safe location.

Supper Clubs offer similar relief (including those Chef-crafted meals) and stay open into early evening one day a week.

Last year, kids enjoyed almost 600,000 meals at 57 different Summer Clubs, while more than 82,000 healthy meals were consumed by Supper Club members.

But even with parents finding more ways to get relief through the statewide food safety net, these efforts have not been enough to reduce the rising hunger that comes with rising temperatures.

Leaning into Legislation

While our advocacy efforts are a year-round endeavor, we have a unique opportunity each year to stand in front of the elected officials in the Maryland General Assembly to highlight the real impact of hunger on real Marylanders.

In 2025, our Legislative Agenda focused on helping families achieve food security. Knowing the importance of school meals to kids’ ability to thrive, we advocated for HB1254/SB 769, which would have subsidized breakfasts and lunches for Maryland students. Unfortunately, this bill did not pass, but we look forward to backing an updated version in 2026!

Books, Banks, and Bucks Battle Hunger

Since last fall, families visiting the Southeast Anchor branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library on Wednesdays and Fridays can do more than check out – they’ve been able to pick up food from the Pratt Free Market.

“We’re honored to help supply nutritious food, and I can’t think of a partnership that is more impactful than the one we have with the Enoch Pratt Free Library,” said Sarah Kennedy, the Maryland Food Bank’s Regional Program Director for East Baltimore. “The combination of location, services offered, and passion their staff shows for equitable practices is a powerful resource for the community,” she continued.

In addition to the “anchored” sites like School Pantries, Clubs, and Community Pantries, our Mobile Markets literally go the extra mile to ensure that families who aren’t able to easily access those resources can shop our 26-foot vehicles for fresh produce, shelf-stable goods, and frozen protein right in their community. Mobile Markets generally offer a range of wraparound services to offer more holistic help.

A successful service that was born out of the challenges families faced during the pandemic, carries on in 2025. The Sun Bucks program offers the ability to receive $40/month in grocery benefits (similar to SNAP or WIC) and/or free SUN Meals in eligible communities. Nationally, this program decreased food hardship by 33% and lifted between 2.7-3.9 million children out of hunger.

Families struggle enough already. They shouldn’t have to face additional challenges just because school is out of session. Your continued support is the key to a happy, healthy summer for all Maryland kids.