SARASOTA, FL (March 22, 2025) – For tens of thousands of local children, summer means more than sunshine and free time — it also means the loss of school meals, often their most reliable source of daily nutrition. To address this need, All Faiths Food Bank is once again partnering with the Sarasota and DeSoto County school districts and hundreds of community partners to provide free, nutritious food to children all summer long. 

This year, the challenge is even greater. Families already struggling with the high cost of living are now facing deeper hardship due to federal funding cuts, looming reductions in SNAP benefits, and rising grocery prices driven by inflation and new tariffs. As a result, the demand for food assistance is growing, and for many children, hunger is not just a possibility — it’s a daily reality.

With support from donors and partners like Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation and the Gould Family Trust Foundation at Gulf Coast Community Foundation, All Faiths Food Bank’s annual Campaign Against Summer Hunger is bringing healthy meals to kids at dozens of schools and community sites across the Suncoast – including schools, libraries, early learning centers, summer camps, community centers and numerous other organizations. 

From school pantries and hot meal sites to “BackPacks” and snack bags filled with kid-friendly foods, the Campaign ensures children don’t go hungry even when the school year ends. Last year, more than 35,000 children received food through the Campaign.

"No child should have to trade summer fun for the pain of hunger," said Nelle S. Miller, president and CEO of All Faiths Food Bank. "Because of our community’s compassion and commitment, thousands of kids will have the food they need to thrive while school is out."

The effort is bolstered by the federally funded Summer BreakSpot program, run by Sarasota and DeSoto County Schools’ Food and Nutrition Services departments. Summer BreakSpot reimburses participating organizations for meals through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Summer Food Service Program (or Seamless Summer Option). At many locations, All Faiths provides additional food resources and operates on-site pantries.

“This USDA program and the community partnerships help support children during the summer months, when the majority of students and their siblings are out of school and have a greater potential to experience hunger,” said Sarasota County Schools’ Director of Food & Nutrition Services, Sara Dan, MBA, RD, SNS. “This program helps support students’ nutrition, so they are fueled up and ready to learn in the fall.”

Since it began in 2014, the Campaign has become the region’s strongest response to summer hunger, raising more than $20 million to feed local children. 

More information about Sarasota County Schools’ summer meal resources can be found at sarsotacountyschools.net or by calling 941-486-2199.

For food distribution sites near you, visit allfaithsfoodbank.org/foodfinder. To learn how you can help children and families experiencing hunger, visit allfaithsfoodbank.org or call 941-379-6333.

About All Faiths Food Bank

All Faiths Food Bank is the only food bank and largest hunger relief organization in Sarasota and DeSoto counties, providing millions of meals each year in collaboration with more than 300 agencies and programs throughout the community. All Faiths works not only to end hunger today, but also strives to end hunger – forever – by helping families and individuals gain long-term food security, enjoy better health outcomes, and achieve self-sufficiency. All Faiths is rated four stars by Charity Navigator and is a partner of the Feeding America and Feeding Florida networks. Visit allfaithsfoodbank.org.