Natalia Perez, 14, loves spending her days at Pilsen Wellness Center’s summer camp, where she creates art projects, plays sports, and receives tutoring and mentorship. She also receives breakfast and lunch, provided by the Greater Chicago Food Depository.
“My friends and I love the food that we get here,” said Perez. “Especially the salads and the fruit. We run to get in line when they have our favorite fruits, like apples, oranges and pears.”
Natalia Perez and her friends receive their daily breakfast. (Photo by Abel Uribe for the Greater Chicago Food Depository.)
The Pilsen Wellness Center, nestled in Chicago’s Gage Park neighborhood, is one of the Food Depository’s 143 summer feeding sites across Chicago and Cook County. At their summer camp, they provide healthy breakfasts and lunches to almost 100 kids every day, in addition to various recreational and educational activities.
Summer is a time of excitement, growth and learning for the campers. But for many of the kids, it’s also a time when access to regular, nutritious meals becomes uncertain.
The challenge of summer hunger
During the school year, free breakfast and lunch programs ensure that students receive the food they need to stay healthy and ready to learn. But when summer vacation begins, the absence of these meals can leave a significant gap in a child's daily nutrition.
A group of campers at the Pilsen Wellness Center finish up their breakfast, ready for the day of activities ahead of them. (Photo by Abel Uribe for the Food Depository.)
In the Chicago metro area, where food insecurity affects more than one in five families with children, this gap can be devastating. Families who already struggle to make ends meet may find it challenging to provide two more meals a day for each child. This additional cost can strain already tight budgets, leading to difficult choices between paying for groceries, rent or other necessities.
Responding to the need
Recognizing this critical need, the Food Depository provides summer feeding programs that support children and families during the months when school is out. These programs are a lifeline for many, providing reliable access to nutritious meals.
“It’s hard for families in the summer,” said Aquanita Epps, Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) coordinator at the Chicago Housing Authority’s Dearborn Homes in Bronzeville. "There are parents out here that cannot afford to eat a meal morning, noon and at night. Some families can only cook a meal at night for their kids. Some can barely do that."
Aquanita Epps is grateful to the Food Depository for providing food for her neighbors in the Dearborn Homes. (Photo by Kristy Ramsey for the Food Depository.)
SFSP sites are often located in community centers, parks, libraries and other locations where children and families can easily access meals. The federally funded program provides free, healthy breakfasts, lunches and snacks to children ages 18 and younger.
Every day during the summer, Epps works in a small kitchen in the housing complex and serves two daily meals, in partnership with the Food Depository, to children who live in the building. The program is open to all, so residents often bring their grandchildren, nieces, and nephews who need a nutritious meal.
“Some parents send their kids down to get food with us every single day, because it makes such a difference to them,” said Epps. “I’m happy that you all have this for the kids.”
Kaylee Johnson and her cousin enjoy a lunch of chicken tacos together. (Photo by Kristy Ramsey for the Food Depository.)
“I like the food here; it’s very good,” said Kaylee, 4, as she ate a meal with her two older cousins. “My favorite is the pizza!”
Providing healthy options
The food served through the Summer Food Service Program meets federal nutrition guidelines and is designed to provide the nutrients kids need to grow, learn and play – including fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins.
“Nutrition is so important for children,” said Victor Soria, program coordinator of the Pilsen Wellness Center’s summer camp. “Some of these kids, their parents work all day; they don’t have the time or money to buy them healthy food."
"For them to come here every day and get fruits, vegetables, nutritious food, it can make a big difference in their development.”
Victor Soria talks to a group of campers as they enjoy their breakfast. (Photo by Abel Uribe for the Food Depository.)
In addition to the healthy meals provided through SFSP, the Food Depository also distributes food via our Lunch Buses, a mobile meal program that travels to convenient neighborhood locations to provide free nutritious lunches throughout Cook County. These programs not only address the immediate need for food but also contribute to the long-term health and well-being of children.
“We’re so lucky that we get to do this kind of work,” said Soria. “To be able to make a difference in the lives of the kids is a beautiful thing. The Greater Chicago Food Depository is an important part of our program, because children need to eat nutritious food in order to lead healthy lives, and the Food Depository helps us make sure that happens.”
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