The program provides nutritious meals to vulnerable children while schools are closed for the summer.

The Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County announced on May 27 the return of its annual summer food program that provides free, healthy lunches and snacks to children who are 18 years of age or younger across Orange County. The program is part of the Food Bank’s Kids Cafe Program, with summer funding coming from the USDA’s Summer Food Service Program.

Starting on May 26, families who relied on the free breakfasts and lunches at school have a resource during the summer, with no registration, paperwork or eligibility requirements. This program will operate at 37 sites throughout the county to offer convenient access to families in need. To find the nearest open site, individuals can call 211 or text 898211 to inquire about distribution hours.

“Here in Orange County, one in eight children is food insecure. With the rising cost of groceries and gas, we want families to know that there are accessible locations where children can receive healthy meals throughout the summer,” said Claudia Bonilla Keller, CEO, Second Harvest. “Our hope is that this program helps ease some of the stress families are experiencing and gives parents peace of mind knowing that their children are nourished and able to enjoy their summer break.”

Lunches and snacks provided by Second Harvest meet the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s nutrition guidelines and consist of items such as grilled chicken sandwiches, breakfast biscuit sliders, hummus and pita, yogurt parfaits, whole grain bagels with cheese and sliced turkey, and whole grain muffins with fruit. The meals are prepared and delivered to distribution sites Monday through Friday by Meals on Wheels Orange County, a trusted local nonprofit organization. 

This initiative highlights Second Harvest and Meals on Wheels Orange County’s investment in Orange County’s future generations. By making sure children in need have access to fresh, nourishing food, these nonprofits help them grow both physically and mentally while positively impacting their families and communities in the process.  

In fiscal year 2024-2025, Second Harvest distributed 42.1 million pounds of food throughout Orange County and served 138,231 children per month. Additionally, last summer, nearly 35,389 lunches and over 30,238 snacks were served to children through Second Harvest’s summer program. 

This local effort reflects a national need that is both ongoing and growing. According to the Food Research & Action Center’s recent Hunger Doesn’t Take a Vacation: The Reach of Summer Meals Report, approximately 3.2 million children nationwide participated in the Summer Meals Program on an average day in July 2024, marking an increase of nearly 353,000 children compared to July 2023.

“Summer meals through Kids Cafe make a meaningful difference for our families,” said Erika Jennings, Recreation Coordinator at Tustin Family Youth Center. “They help relieve the added cost of groceries during the summer while also providing comfort, consistency and support for students when school is out. We’ve seen how a simple meal reminds kids that their community cares about them.”

About Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County

At Second Harvest Food Bank, our vision is an Orange County with food and nutritional security for all. In collaboration with our partners, we provide dignified, equitable and consistent access to nutritious food, creating a foundation for community health. Our partner network includes schools, after-school programs, colleges and universities, senior centers, houses of worship, shelters for the unhoused, soup kitchens and transitional housing facilities, with sites at 380 locations throughout the county. In fiscal year 2024-2025, we distributed 42.1 million pounds of food to an average of 458,995* neighbors in need each month (duplicated). Approximately 39,000 pounds of produce are harvested each week at the 40-acre Harvest Solutions Farm in Irvine, a collaboration with Solutions for Urban Agriculture and the University of California South Coast Research & Extension Center begun in August 2021. Second Harvest is a member of the Feeding America network. For more information, visit feedoc.org.