TYLER, Texas — Now school is out and summer break is here, some kids who rely on school lunches may not have access to nutritious meals.
That's where the East Texas Food Bank's summer program comes in.
Kids enjoyed a variety of activities today, but that's just half of what they were offering at the Glass Recreation Center.
"It's just a way for the kids to get out of the house, get away from the TV, just get out and breathe some fresh air, try some new things," parent Favian Espiricueta, said.
This summer event is the beginning of free meals offered to kids across East Texas. Bouncing back from the pandemic, they hope to reach families in the community.
There is no required documentation or registration. The East Texas Food Bank says they want to provide meals to kids who depend on school lunches.
"It's really important this year because of the inflation. I mean, a lot of the people are experiencing grocery costs being 8 to 10% higher than they were last year." Dennis Cullinane, CEO of East Texas Food Bank said.
He also says 1 out of every 4 children are food insecure, which is almost 80,000 children that may not know where their next meal is coming from.
Last year, they were able to serve 29,000 meals and this year they're hoping to serve over 50,000. The East Texas Food Bank will be giving free meals at various locations across east Texas.
All you have to do is visit their website for more information.