Service offers free meals to Central Coast kids over the summer

For many kids, meals at school are among the only meals they get, including here on the Central Coast.

A new service by “No Kid Hungry” allows parents and guardians to find locations where free meals are offered to kids during the summer.

They say summer is the hungriest time of year for kids.

These programs are intended to fill the gap for children who rely on school breakfast and lunch during the rest of the year. “No Kid Hungry” helps local organizations launch and operate these sites.

The group runs a summer meals texting service. The service is free, and open to anyone. A parent, grandparent or caregiver can simply text the word “FOOD” to 877-877 and the system prompts them to provide their address or zip code, which is used to provide the location and service times of up to three nearby summer meals sites.

Share Our Strength, the organization that runs the “No Kid Hungry” campaign, is a nonprofit that relies on the financial support of companies, restaurants and charitable foundations.