All Faiths Food Bank summer campaign serves 15,000 children

The results are in for the All Faiths Food Bank Campaign Against Summer Hunger. The All Faiths Food Bank initiated a trial run from April 1 to May 10 of the campaign to expand efforts to end hunger in the community.

Results from the initial trial from the summer programs show that food was provided for more than 15,500 children with more than 1.5 million meals served to children and their families.

The campaign was a combined effort with community partners to help the 21,000 Sarasota County students who receive free and reduced lunches during the school year. Due to the summer break and no access to school lunches are a time with fewer resources for meals.

Part of the strategy included expanding to add nine new mobile pantries, which fed 4,309 children. In addition to the pantries the program also included starting summer backpack and snack pack programs to send children home with.

Director of Marking, Laura Coyle said the next goal for the food bank this year is to meet the demand for the upcoming holiday season.

“Everyone knows how awful it would be without a thanksgiving dinner,” Coyle said.