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(Left to right) No Kid Hungry New York Director Rachel Sabella, NYC Council Member Kevin Riley, New York State Senator Jamaal Bailey, New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and NYC Public Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos<\/p>\n
Photo courtesy of No Kid Hungry New York<\/p>\n
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie<\/a>, State Senator Jamaal Bailey<\/a>, and New York City Council Member Kevin Riley<\/a> recently joined Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos<\/a> and No Kid Hungry<\/a> New York to help deliver free summer meals to the Bronx.<\/p>\n The food brought to Haffen Park<\/a> on July 16 came via one of NYC Public Schools\u2019 Free Summer Meals food trucks, which provide free breakfast and lunch to city kids every day during the summer months.<\/p>\n Throughout the summer, New York City Public Schools remain committed to supporting our students and all young people across the five boroughs. The summer meals program ensures that our youngest New Yorkers don\u2019t go without nourishment when school\u2019s not in session, and our Free Summer Meals food trucks, in addition to sites at pools, libraries and parks, make sure these meals are accessible,\u201d Aviles-Ramos said. \u201cNone of this work would be possible without our outstanding food service workers, and I am so grateful for their dedication to nourishing our kids.\u201d<\/p>\n The Free Summer Meals<\/a> program and Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer<\/a> (EBT) were two important food assistance programs emphasized by No Kid Hungry, Aviles-Ramos and the Bronx leaders. These programs are especially important during the summer, when kids and their families lose vital no- and low-cost meal options with school out of session.<\/p>\n \u201cSummer should be the time of year when kids get to enjoy being kids \u2013 without stressing about where their next meal will come from,\u201d No Kid Hungry New York Director Rachel Sabella said. \u201cBy giving children free, healthy meal options and helping parents and caregivers keep food on the table, programs like Free Summer Meals and Summer EBT are helping to make that a reality. New Yorkers are fortunate to have leadership that takes the hunger crisis seriously and stands up for children and families, and I thank\u00a0all of\u00a0our city and state partners for their continued support.\u201d<\/p>\n The Free Summer Meals program provides meals at no cost for those 18 years of age or younger at sites across New York City. These sites include schools, parks, community centers and the Free Summer Meals food trucks.<\/p>\n Part of the Summer EBT program gives eligible New York families a one-time installment of $120 per child on their EBT cards. Since these installments can help pay for groceries and other household essentials, they can help keep food on the table for families. 2025 marks the second year of this federal program. It will provide around $250 million in grocery benefits to over 2 million kids across New York State. Those interested in applying or learning more about Summer EBT can visit New York\u2019s Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance\u2019s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cYear-round access to nutritious meals gives families the ease of knowing their children have the fuel they need to grow and learn,\u201d Heastie said. \u201cDuring the summer months when school is no longer in session, many children are left at risk of hunger, as school lunches became their lifeline. With programs like Free Summer Meals through NYC Schools and Summer EBT,\u00a0 we ensure access to nutritional meals, assisting in the protection of the health, well-being and potential of children and families city-wide. Thank you to No Kid Hungry New York, NYC Public Schools and all others involved in making this a reality. As a lifelong Bronxite, a borough often overlooked \u2013 these initiatives make a difference in the lives of many.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn the Bronx, too many children depend on the meals they receive at school, and when summer arrives, that safety net disappears,\u201d Bailey said. \u201cThat\u2019s why Summer EBT and our summer meals program, provided by the New York City Public Schools, are essential lifelines. They provide families here in our district and across New York with the nutrition their kids need to stay healthy, active and ready to learn when school resumes. Ensuring no child goes hungry isn\u2019t just a priority\u2014it\u2019s our moral obligation to the next generation.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn the Bronx and across New York City, far too many children rely on school meals as a primary source of nutrition,\u201d Riley said. \u201cWhen school is out, that need doesn\u2019t go away. That\u2019s why NYC Public Schools\u2019 free summer meals program is so important\u2014it brings healthy, accessible meals to where our kids are, whether it\u2019s at schools, parks, pools or food trucks. I\u2019m proud to support a program that meets families where they are and ensures no child in our city goes hungry during the summer months.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/thumbnail_IMG_0621.jpg\")
The Bronx leaders helped Aviles-Ramos and No Kid Hungry New York deliver meals from one of the NYC Public Schools\u2019 Free Summer Meals food trucks. Photo courtesy of No Kid Hungry New York<\/p>\n