Media Contact:                           

Jordan Baker                                                                        
jbaker@frac.org
980-290-7282  

 

WASHINGTON, April 1, 2026 — A new report released today by the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) reveals a significant increase in the number of children participating in the Summer Nutrition Programs in summer 2024 when compared to the previous summer.

FRAC’s Hunger Doesn’t Take a Vacation: The Reach of Summer Meals report finds that 352,855 more children nationwide (12.6 percent increase) benefited from lunch served through the Summer Nutrition Programs in July 2024 compared to the previous year. This growth reflects a new phase in addressing summer hunger as the programs expanded to include the Rural Non-Congregate option, and the launch of the permanent Summer EBT Program in 37 states, the District of Columbia, all five U.S. territories, and two Indian Tribal Organizations.

“The latest summer meals data shows us what is possible when we continually work to eliminate barriers that keep children hungry,” said Crystal FitzSimons, president of FRAC. “Every increase in participation means more kids are getting the healthy food they need when school is out.”

Key findings:

  • Nearly 3.2 million children received a summer lunch through the Summer Meals Programs on an average day in July 2024.
  • 2 children received a summer lunch for every 100 who received a free or reduced-price school lunch during the 2023–2024 school year.
  • Participation in breakfast increased by 380,648 children compared to July 2023.
  • Lunch participation exceeded pre-pandemic levels, with 383,388 more children participating in July 2024 than in July 2019.
  • The Summer EBT Program reached over 21 million children and distributed over 2.5 billion in benefits, with 37 states, the District of Columbia, all five U.S. territories, and two Indian Tribal Organizations choosing to participate.

Despite improvements in summer 2024, far too many children still missed out on summer meals and Summer EBT did not reach any of the children in the 13 states that failed to operate the program. According to FRAC, states will need to seize every opportunity to increase families’ access to nutritious meals to help mitigate the fallout of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) cuts, enacted in the budget reconciliation law, H.R. 1.

FRAC recommends that every state implements Summer EBT, maximizes all summer meals program options, and works to link summer meals with summer enrichment programming. At the federal level, FRAC urges Congress to increase access to summer meals and reduce the administration burden that limits the number of sites — schools, nonprofits, and government agencies — providing summer meals.

“With millions of families expected to lose some or all of their SNAP benefits, states will need to make the most of these opportunities to ensure that children can return to school in the fall, well-nourished and ready to learn,” said FitzSimons.

Read the full report.

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The Food Research & Action Center improves the nutrition, health, and well-being of people struggling against poverty-related hunger in the United States through advocacy, partnerships, and by advancing bold and equitable policy solutions. To learn more, visit FRAC.org and follow us on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, Threads,  and Bluesky.