In an effort to tackle hunger among the youth, IDEA Public Schools in Austin will be dishing out free meals to any child 18 years or younger during the upcoming summer break. Running from May 28 through July 26, this initiative welcomes all kids across the community, regardless of whether they attend IDEA schools. The program aims to bridge the nutrition gap that often widens when schools close for the holidays.

Available Monday through Friday – with a hiatus during federal holidays and a brief pause from July 1-5 – the meals will ensure that young Austinites can fill their bellies without emptying their parents' wallets. According to CBS Austin, Fernando Aguilar, Vice of President of the Child Nutrition Program at IDEA Public Schools, expressed the program's commitment to supporting "Healthy nutrition is important for all children in our community, not just while they are in a classroom learning, but year-round."

Parents seeking further details about when these meals are to be served can make the most out of breakfast and lunch times. As reported by FOX 7 Austin, breakfast will be available from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., and lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The logistics of this program are possible thanks to federal assistance from the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program.

For those hungering for more information or looking to plan their summer meals, IDEA Public Schools advises reaching out to the cafeteria manager at any campus in question. This program, as Aguilar communicated to CBS Austin, is poised to play a crucial role in mitigating the potential financial burden that families may face over the summer months, with "nearly 1.7 million children across Texas at risk of going hungry this summer."