Tyson Foods' Summer Meal Pilot Program Reveals Significant Gaps in Child Food Access During Summer Months
Tyson Foods, in partnership with GENYOUth, conducted a summer meal pilot program in Georgia and Arkansas, revealing a substantial gap in food access for children during the summer months. While over 21 million children qualify for free and reduced-price school lunches during the academic year, this number drops to 3.2 million in the summer. The pilot program, supported by a $150,000 investment from Tyson Foods, aimed to understand and address barriers schools face in reaching children when school is out. The findings indicate that for every 100 children receiving subsidized lunches during the school year, only about 16 receive them in the summer. Common barriers identified include transportation issues, inconvenient meal times for working parents, and a lack of awareness about available programs. Despite these challenges, the pilot demonstrated that increased access leads to higher participation, with a 12.6% rise in 2024 due to new options and the permanent implementation of Summer EBT.
