Local nonprofits helping to feed kids this summer
AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) – As school is out for the summer, many students will face food insecurity and a few nonprofits are stepping in to help.
“A lot of people realize that summer is difficult for our kids and I think as a community, if we all recognize there is a challenge for our kids and we all work together, then our kids don’t face this daunting and overwhelming experience in the summer of being hungry,” said Dyron Howell, Snack Pak 4 Kids executive director.
Snack Pak 4 Kids is one nonprofit doing its part to help area students this summer who may face food insecurity this summer.
“Those that needed Snack Pak this summer registered and we have contacted them and they will be picking up at locations that we specify for those kids…We will probably do two to three thousand snack paks…every Thursday this summer at specified locations for those who said they needed it,” said Howell.
Howell said it takes the work of volunteers to get these Snack Paks ready for students.
“We’ve got about 8,000 bags packed and ready to go for the summer and that’s because of our retirees and our volunteers, that have said ‘Hey we are going to be here.’ They were here this past Tuesday at 8:30, they will do it again next Tuesday at 8:30, so we have an army of people behind the scenes that is making it possible,” said Howell.
Another nonprofit stepping in to help is Fill with Hope with Executive Director Cindy Sheets saying that they still have a lot going on.
“We have our summer school program, so we have nine schools participating within Canyon ISD this year and we are also privileged to be a part of the lunch program, the summer lunch program. First United Methodist Church as well as the food bank prepare hot meals for our students at two elementaries, Reeves-Hinger and Lakeview Elementary. So we are privileged to be able to kind of piggyback those programs and meet them out there on Thursday so they can go home on each weekend with a sack of food,” said Sheets.
Sheets added they are preparing bags of food for hundreds of kids within CISD.
“This summer, we are very privileged to have packed for about 600 students within the school system for our summer school location and then we also have that summer lunch program and we usually do 40 to 60 kiddos every week at each location. So we are just happy to be able to provide this for those children,” said Sheets.
AISD is participating in the Summer Meal Programs which started on June 3rd with breakfast and lunch options available at 32 AISD school locations.
The High Plains Food Bank is also helping this summer through Kids Cafe and its 2025 summer meal sites .
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