Summer can be a time of food insecurity for Michigan children who rely on school meals while school is in session—a pandemic exacerbates this need.

According to the Michigan League for Public Policy, over 345,000 Michigan children face food insecurity, meaning they don’t have consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life. Food banks are already stretched thin due to increased demand from the pandemic.

“In the midst of all this stress of living in a pandemic—something that hasn't happened to us in 100 years—the stress of being food insecure is just debilitating in and of itself," Phil Knight, executive director of the Food Bank Council of Michigan told The Detroit News. "Living under that stress, that's why we're working as hard as we are."

Efforts are underway to ensure our state’s children have access to adequate food supplies during their time out of school, supplementing the work done to feed kids during school closures from the pandemic, including:

• Starting June 30, school districts with 50% or more students who receive free or reduced lunch will be allowed to distribute meals throughout the summer.

• The Food Bank Council of Michigan is working to provide Emergency Food Assistance boxes for children and families in need, with boxes containing produce, dairy and protein. It also hosts a virtual food drive for families and seniors who need food assistance during the pandemic.

• The Fair Food Network offers Double Up Food Bucks, doubling the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables to families who receive Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) assistance.

• Summer EBT for Children and the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) programs are partnering to ensure children and families in Michigan’s rural areas have access to food.

• Feeding America West Michigan will provide 14 summer Meet Up and Eat Up meal sites in Kent County to provide children with nutritious meals.

• Gleaners Community Food Bank is looking to expand its Hunger Free Summer efforts to provide meals to kids in Southeast Michigan.

The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) is utilizing federal dollars to provide meals to children and families over the summer. Michigan is slated to receive $45 million to help with the distribution of supplemental food that typically goes to restaurants and retailers. Schools and sponsors will be allowed to distribute meals to children and families through August 31, delaying the typical end date.

While these organizations work to ensure Michigan children and families have access to food over the summer, they also call upon Michiganders to give what they can to help their fellow residents.

"Food donations are desperately needed to meet historically high demand at a time when food supplies are dangerously low, and collectively, we can make a huge difference," Jennifer Holton, spokesperson for the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development told The Detroit News.

Want more?

Learn more about the Food Bank Council of Michigan.