Commissioner Miller Promotes a Healthy Summer for Young Texans (6/6/2019)

AUSTIN – This week, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced the kickoff of the Summer Food Service Program, an annual federally-funded effort to offer nutritious meals at no cost to children 18 years old or younger. By partnering with nonprofits, libraries, schools and other community organizations to operate summer meal sites across Texas, the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) Summer Meal Programs help ensure more Texas children stay sharp and energized throughout the summer and return to school in the fall ready to succeed.

Approximately 1.6 million Texas children face food insecurity and during the summer may not always have enough food to be healthy and active. The Summer Meal Programs start after school cafeterias close, and offer children good nutrition in a safe environment like schools, nonprofit summer camps, churches, municipal recreation centers and other facilities.

“The Summer Food Service Program was created so children have access to all the good nutrition they need, even after the school year ends. Serving them healthy meals during the summer takes us one step closer to ensuring every young Texan can succeed and thrive in the classroom and in life,” Commissioner Miller said. “I am proud to work with TDA’s summer meal partners to help ensure Texas children can look forward to a bright and healthy future.”

Commissioner Miller encourages Texas families to use one of the following three ways to find a nearby meal site for children 18 years old and younger:
• Text FOODTX to 877-877 for information in English or text COMIDA to 877-877 for information in Spanish
• Visit TDA’s interactive meal site locator at http://summerfood.org/
• Call 2-1-1 to speak to a live operator in English or Spanish

TDA partners serve meals at sites in designated areas, such as areas where more than 50 percent of children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals in the National School Lunch Program. Meals are provided to individuals 18 years old or younger without charge, as well as adults over the age of 18 who are determined by a state or local educational agency to have a mental or physical disability and who participate in a public or private school program established for people with mental or physical disabilities.
Meals are the same for all children regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability, and there will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service.

For more information about TDA’s Summer Meal Programs, visit http://summerfood.org/ or call TDA’s Food and Nutrition Division at (877) TEX-MEAL or (877) 839-6325.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
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