As schools close for summer break, No Kid Hungry Virginia encourages families to text FOOD or COMIDA to 877-877 to find summer meal sites near them. Nutritious free meals are available for children and teens 18 and younger at many locations throughout the state in the summer months. 

For many kids, summer is the hungriest time of year. When schools close for the summer, school meals disappear as well. Only about 15 percent of Virginia students who rely on free or reduced-price school lunches are also getting free meals through summer programs, according to a news release from No Hungry Kid Virginia.

The federal Summer Meals program connects children to the nutrition they need during the summer months. Funded by the USDA, administered by state agencies and served by organizations families trust, like schools, libraries, faith-based organizations and community groups, these meals ensure kids have access to healthy meals when school is out of session.

Many sites offer educational ...