ceosummer

A Message from Jon

When summer begins, children should be thinking about play, rest, and growth. For many families, summer brings a different reality. When school doors close, reliable meals often disappear with them.

During the school year, breakfast and lunch provide steady nutrition for thousands of children. In the summer months, families must stretch already tight grocery budgets to replace those meals. For parents juggling work, health concerns, or unexpected challenges, that gap can feel overwhelming.

That is why summer is one of the most important times for our work.

Across our communities, your support helps ensure children continue to receive nourishing food when school cafeterias are closed. Through summer feeding, school pantries, and other children’s programs, you help us reach families in places they already trust. You help make access consistent, respectful, and reliable.

You will see examples of that impact throughout this issue. You will read how partnerships are helping children get food where they are, and how families are supported during one of the hardest times of year. These stories reflect what your generosity makes possible. Solutions that fit into daily life. Support that meets real needs.

As summer continues, the need does not slow down. Families are still balancing groceries, rent, utilities, and medical care. Children are still growing and learning, even when school is out. Your continued support helps ensure we can keep showing up, not just once, but all season long.

Thank you for standing with children and families when it matters most. Together, we can help make summer a time of nourishment, stability, and care.

With gratitude,
Jon Toups
President & CEO