No Kid Hungry New York and the NYC Public Schools rolled out three mobile food trucks this summer to reach more kids across the city with free summer meals, expanding the program to areas with historically low participation, including Prospect Park in Brooklyn.
The mobile food truck will be open seven days a week. On weekdays, the truck will distribute meals to children between 10am and 4pm, and between 10am and 3pm on weekends, according to a news release.
The trucks will wrap up service on Friday, August 30.
“Summer is the hungriest time of year for kids in New York. We see food insecurity spike every year during these few months, as kids lose access to no-cost school meals,” said Rachel Sabella, director of No Kid Hungry New York. “By partnering with the NYC Public Schools on mobile trucks, we are able to reach even more communities and ensure meals are easily accessible. I want to make sure every family in New York City knows summer meals are available to ensure kids continue to receive the nutrition they need to grow and thrive.”
This effort comes as a recent No Kid Hungry poll shows that 78% of New York City households said the cost of food was rising faster than their income, and 70% indicated it had become harder to afford groceries in the past year.
Free summer meals are now available at over 1,000 locations across New York City including schools, parks, pools, libraries and mobile trucks.
“Our schools are the centers of our communities, providing critical resources for our families, including free summer meals to any young person who needs it,” said Department of Education Chancellor David C. Banks. “I'm so proud to be supporting another year of summer meals and tackling food insecurity across the five boroughs.”
No Kid Hungry has a national Free Meals Finder texting hotline to connect families to a site near them providing no cost meals. Anyone ages 18 years and under is eligible. No registration, documentation, or ID is necessary to receive a meal. To find a Summer Meals program near you, just text "FOOD" or “COMIDA” (for Spanish language service) to 304-304.
