Patti LaBelle, Kelly Rowland, And Chef Kwame Onwuachi Partner To Leave ‘No Kid Hungry’ This Summer

No Kid Hungry is a charity organization that works to eliminate food insecurity and provide families with meals. This summer, in partnership with some of the nation’s most recognizable public figures, the organization will launch an awareness campaign dedicated to helping children and teenagers access meals as they deal with the heat. With stars including Patti LaBelle, Kelly Rowland, and Chefs Kwame Onwuachi and Lorena Garcia, No Kid Hungry will help parents and caregivers locate free meals in their area with a few simple clicks.

During the year, families can rely on schools to have reduced or free meals for their children, but come summertime, their options become limited, leaving parents to worry about where their next meal is coming from. No Kid Hungry recently conducted a poll, where they discovered that parents are struggling to afford groceries for their children and, with the cost of living on the rise, some families have found themselves one missed paycheck away from going hungry.

Free summer meal programs are not new. In fact, they have existed for decades. Similarly, The Black Panther Party started a free breakfast program that ran from 1969-1980, for hungry children in impoverished communities.

However, though they successfully feed many families during the summer months, their scope is often limited. This is about to change, though. After years of lobbying on behalf of non-profits and charities, Congress has now created the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, which allows rural areas more ways of offering free meals, including food transportation services and pick-up options. This act also established a nationwide program called Summer EBT, which will help parents purchase food throughout the summer. It is set to launch in 2024.

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No Kid Hungry will assist in the roll-out of these new meal services in rural areas with spokespeople like Rowland, LaBelle, and more promoting this new initiative so that parents are aware of their options. The site is also accessible to multilingual households.

“Our nation’s children deserve a happy, healthy summer and that starts with being fed and nourished, ” said LaBelle. “It’s up to all of us to ensure all kids have the fuel they need to follow their dreams and that parents, grandparents, and caregivers have access to this essential program. One hungry child is one too many.”

To locate meals near you, visit NoKidHungry.org/Help. If you’d like to help amplify the message, visit Share Summer 2023. To locate meals near you simply text “FOOD” or “COMIDA” to 304-304 or visit NoKidHungry.org/WhatsApp to find sites serving free meals in your neighborhood.