Tyson Foods and the non-profit GENYOUth have backed summer meal programmes in Georgia and Arkansas after more than 60 school districts sought funding totalling about four times the amount available, highlighting the scale of the gap in access to food outside term time.
Tyson contributed 150,000 dollars to support the programmes and examine the practical barriers preventing schools from reaching children during the summer. Applications from the districts amounted to roughly 600,000 dollars.
More than 21 million children in the US qualify for free or reduced-price school lunches during the academic year. During the summer, the number receiving meals through the relevant programmes falls to about 3.2 million.
The disparity means that for every 100 children receiving a subsidised lunch during the school year, only about 16 receive one after the school year ends, according to figures cited by Tyson.
Summer meal programmes face access and funding barriers
Schools involved in the initiative identified transport, inconvenient serving times and a lack of awareness among families as key obstacles. A meal site several miles away may be inaccessible without a bus, while parents working late shifts may be unable to reach a service that closes around midday.
Districts also face financial pressure because US Department of Agriculture reimbursements are paid per meal served and do not cover fixed costs or unexpected expenses. Tyson said schools may need to raise about 50 cents for every lunch and one dollar for every breakfast to cover the shortfall.
That can leave districts serving the greatest number of children with the largest additional funding requirement, while communities with the highest levels of need may have the fewest resources available to raise money locally.
Participation in summer meal programmes increased by 12.6 per cent in 2024, representing 352,855 additional children, as rural and non-congregate options expanded and Summer EBT became permanent. Tyson said the increase showed that participation could grow when access was improved.
The company’s funding was used for costs including staff, refrigeration, fuel and serving equipment. It was also linked to physical activity kits and other enrichment intended to encourage children to attend meal sites.
At Lake Hamilton Schools in Pearcy, Arkansas, where 70 per cent of pupils qualify for subsidised meals, grant funding helped pay for staff and allowed other money to be used for locally produced food. The district also bought fans and cooling towels for workers serving in hot conditions.
In Cherokee County, Georgia, buses were converted into air-conditioned mobile dining rooms to address transport and access problems. Another district employed teachers to lead reading and craft activities alongside meal service, with meals served increasing by 10 per cent year on year.
All participating districts rated the impact of their grants at eight or more out of 10, while three-quarters said the funding helped sustain an existing programme. The results also underscored the amount of unmet demand, with many more districts seeking support than could be funded.
Tyson called for companies to measure need more closely and direct funding towards the organisations best placed to respond. It also urged school and programme leaders to set out their operational requirements, and policymakers to consider reimbursement rates that more closely reflect the true cost of providing meals.
The company said stronger reimbursement would provide a more secure foundation for summer nutrition programmes and allow corporate and charitable funding to have a greater effect.
