During the school year, struggling families can rely on free and reduced cost breakfasts and lunches to ensure their kids are eating well.
But in the summer, it just gets harder. Nonprofits like Brighter Bites try to make it easy.
Since 2018, the organization said it has served more than 60,000 families, 30,000 children, and distributed four million pounds of produce to families in Prince George’s County and D.C.
“In the greater D.C. metro area, the rates of food insecurity have increased. And it’s everybody – it’s the middle class,” said Rajni Sood Laurent, senior program manager for Brighter Bites’ Greater DC Metro team. “Hunger doesn’t go away. The need doesn’t go away.”
Every day, Brighter Bites sets up at 2-3 locations, filling up bags with fresh produce meant for families who find it鈥檚 hard to buy those groceries while dealing with cuts to jobs and SNAP benefits and rising prices in the grocery store.
The nonprofit sources its produce through donations from the Capital Area Food Bank. During the school year, it brings the food directly into school communities, so families can pick it up when they pick up their kids.
In the summer, Better Bites shifts to community partners like art centers, libraries, daycares and health centers.
This summer, Brighter Bites is distributing produce from nine sites across the region. On Thursday, it was partnering with another nonprofit, the Creative Suitland Arts Center.
“It almost was the easiest decision we’ve made this year,” Rina Campbell, Creative Suitland’s program director, said of the partnership.
Noting that Suitland is considered a food desert, Campbell said the weekly distributions are a huge help, and one that also aligns with the mission of an arts-focused nonprofit.
“Healthier kids means healthier minds, means whole bodies,” she said. “Fuel means more creativity. More creativity means the arts just never stop.”
Brighter Bites hands out recipes and tip sheets along with the food.
鈥淲e really try to give families a wide variety — things that they’re familiar with, but also things that maybe they’ve never tried before,鈥� said Laurent. 鈥淲e want to get them past some of those, 鈥業 don’t like this. I’ve never tried this before,鈥� and really introduce them to a wide range of fruits and veggies that are going to help them take care of themselves.”
鈥淲e’re really all about just making it easier, especially during this time when we know that it is a lot harder for families in our community,鈥� she added.
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