BOERNE — As the school year ends and summer begins, Hill Country Daily Bread Ministries (HCDBM) is calling on the community to join in the fight against child hunger in the Texas Hill Country.
The organization’s annual Summer Hunger Campaign is underway with the goal of providing 35,000 kid-friendly meals to children who lose access to free school meals during the summer months.
“For many children in our community, when school ends, hunger begins,” said Debi Watson, HCDBM communications director. “In Kendall County alone, nearly 1 in 5 children face food insecurity during the summer. These are local kids, our neighbors, who rely on school breakfast and lunch programs that simply aren’t available when school is out.”
The Summer Hunger Campaign aims to assemble and distribute 5,000 food bags, each to be filled with seven nutritious and easy-to-prepare meals. The bags will include a shopping list and a card to encourage families receiving them, by adding a personal and heartfelt touch to each bag.
So far, nearly 2,000 of the bags have been picked up and returned, ready for distribution. But that still leaves more than 3,000 bags to fill and hundreds of children to be served.
One mother in the program, Maria, shared with HCDBM staff that during the school year, her children receive free meals at school. But in summer, her grocery bill nearly doubles.
“Last year, getting those food bags felt like Christmas in July,” she said. “My kids loved the mac & cheese, fruit cups, and soup. More than anything, we felt seen, and my kids saw faith in action.”
The community can help, Watson said, by picking up one or more Summer Hunger Bags between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday-Friday at HCDBM, 38 Cascade Caverns Road, Boerne.
People can host a group food drive; bulk bags and shopping lists are available on request.
Community members can donate online or shop the Amazon Wish List via hillcountrydailybread.org.
Programs at HCDBM continue year-round, with volunteers and donations welcome all year long as well. To learn more or to get involved, contact Debi or Jen at 830-755-5200.
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