Congresswoman Suzan DelBene volunteered with Food Lifeline’s Kids Cafe program on Aug. 11 to help local kids receive nutritious meals even when school breaks for summer.

“No child should be forced to skip a meal or go to bed hungry simply because it’s summer,” DelBene said. “While school breaks for the summer, a child’s need for nutritional food does not. Our children are the future of our country and we should work to provide them with all the possible tools for success no matter what time of year.”

More than 485,000 children in Washington rely on free and reduced price lunch during the school year, yet only 46,000 receive help during the summer. Programs like Kids Cafe help ensure these children receive nutritious meals needed to grow and thrive.

DelBene serves as a member of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Nutrition and is a cosponsor of the Stop Child Summer Hunger Act. The bill would create a program to provide eligible households with vital nutrition assistance during the summer by permanently extending the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children (Summer EBT) program for families with children eligible for free and reduced price school meals.