Troy Public Schools gets grant to keep kids fed during summer

The Troy Public School District is among the organizations who will receive $75,000 from No Kid Hungry to help ensure Montana kids get the food they need to grow and thrive this summer.

For kids who receive school meals, the summer months can be the hungriest time of year. 

But this year promises to be different, thanks to newly expanded guidelines that will give school districts and community organizations the flexibility to offer non-congregate meal service in many more rural communities. 

To support the rollout of this effort, No Kid Hungry Montana recently announced $75,000 in grants to help eight organizations across the state reach even more kids with summer meals.
For many children, free and reduced price school meals can be a lifeline that ensures reliable access to nutrition during the school year. When schools close for the summer, however, these meals disappear and families struggle from the strain on already-tight budgets. This can be particularly true for rural families.

No Kid Hungry is also helping families find summer meals near them through our Free Meals Finder map and texting hotline. Parents and caregivers can text the word “FOOD” (or “COMIDA”) to 304-304 to find sites in their neighborhood.
In a recent No Kid Hungry survey of rural families, parents reported on the unique hardships they faced during the summer when school is out. More than half of rural families say they don’t have enough money for food during the summer. Over 80% spend more on groceries when their children are out of school for the summer–an average of $168 more each month.