2026 Summer Food

Want to serve more kids this summer? Learn practical strategies to expand summer meal access in your community. Hear how one program scaled up to serve over 100,000 meals in a single month and gain tools to grow participation, build strong partnerships and overcome operational challenges so every child can enjoy nutritious meals all summer long.

Summer meal programs are vital to student wellness during school break, so how can we ensure students, families and communities understand their value? From menus and meal appeal to utilizing social media and local media outlets, discover effective strategies to increase participation and build stronger connections with families, stakeholders and the community.

Are you not sure where to start with partnerships for your summer meals program? Discover tips on building relationships and finding strategic partners. Learn a variety of ways you can collaborate with partners to expand your summer meal program’s impact. Hear real-world examples, including local and statewide partnerships that cover tactics from site-planning to effective promotion.

Feeding thousands weekly takes innovation and teamwork. This sponsor partnered with school districts to deliver non-congregate meals to over 7,000 children countywide. They assembled meals with fresh produce and frozen microwaveable items, using single-use cooler bags for safe delivery. Learn how technology streamlined routing, compliance and rural boundary challenges.  

Summer meal programs face shifting policies, shrinking budgets and increasing community needs. Strengthening local ownership, diversifying funding sources and designing flexible, adaptable program models create resilience that withstands crises. These strategies ensure programs continue to provide reliable, nutritious meals to children, even in uncertain and challenging times.

In Oklahoma, many rural families do not have access to a summer meal site. Hunger Free Oklahoma (HFO), which serves as the backbone and facilitator for the Oklahoma Childhood Food Security Coalition, has been hosting Summer Meals Regional Convenings aiming to increase the number of sites and improving access to Summer Meals. See how we have used available data to increase the number of meals served in our state!