When School Meals Stop - We Step In

When school doors close for the summer, a hidden struggle quietly begins. In homes across
Ohio, children lose access to reliable meals and for many families, the budget strain increases just when help is needed most.

In Ohio, nearly 1 in 5 children live in food-insecure households, unsure where their next meal will come from. In Franklin County, 69,010 children face food insecurity, an increase of 30.6% in the last five years. School-based summer feeding programs aim to fill that gap, but only 10% of children who qualify for free or reduced-price lunches actually access summer meals.

At the Worthington Resource Pantry, we have provided food for 9,208 children in just June and July alone. That adds up to an estimated 82,872 meals to help kids grow, learn, and enjoy their summer without the burden of hunger. Each visit — from long-time neighbors to families walking through our doors for the first time — is part of a local answer to a statewide need.

For many Ohio families, summer isn’t just vacation — it’s a time of stretching dollars, scrambling for reliable meals, and feeling the weight of uncertainty. Programs like ours don’t just offer food. They offer relief, generosity, and a little comfort during long summer days.