Study Reveals 184,000 Hungry Kids in North Texas

Tarrant Area Food Bank announced the release of Map the Meal Gap 2018, the largest national report by Feeding America on food insecurity. In the 13 county service area covered by Tarrant Area Food Bank, it revealed that 184,000 kids face a lack of access, at times, to enough food for an active, healthy life.

When the final school bell rings signaling the beginning of summer, so does the final lunch bell for thousands of kids who rely on free and reduced-price meals from school cafeterias. During the summer break, working parents head to local food pantries to keep the refrigerators and cupboards stocked at home. It’s critically important that pantries have plenty of food available during the summer break.

To help meet the increased need for food at local pantries from May – August, Tarrant Area Food Bank has launched its first community-wide “Carefree Summer” Virtual Food Drive at Carefree Summer. There are three action steps community members can take to keep pantry shelves stocked this summer:

Team Raising

Corporations, churches and organizations can set up teams and rally the support of colleagues, congregation members and others to help you create a Carefree Summer for kids.

Individual Donations

Join the community-wide Virtual Food Drive by making an individual gift of any amount at Carefree Summer $10 = 50 meals.

Kid-Friendly Food Drives

Take up a collection of kid-friendly food items such as these and drop them at Tarrant Area Food Bank or at the food pantry nearest you. Just check our Find Food Map for locations. Be sure to call your local pantry for their specific food drop-off hours.

The sad reality is that every fourth child in our community faces hunger. That’s 184,000 kids right here at home. Children should be enjoying a Carefree Summer, not worrying about where their next meal will come from. Join forces with others in your community to be sure that doesn’t happen. Click on Carefree Summer to help.

Tarrant Area Food Bank covers 13 North Texas counties and provides access to 500,000 meals each week. 

written by Anita Foster, Senior Director, Tarrant Area Food Bank