Organization working to address food insecurity for Houstonians exacerbated by power outages, storm damage and school closures following Hurricane Beryl
July 9, 2024 – Houston – Every day in the summer, Kids’ Meals delivers free, healthy meals to over 15,000 children who rely on their signature van showing up. Hurricane Beryl prevented the organization from delivering on Monday, July 8, but deliveries have resumed and even in the wake of extreme weather events, Kids’ Meals is dedicated to delivering free, healthy meals to food-insecure children.
The aftermath of Hurricane Beryl is profound for the families served by Kids’ Meals with uncertain road conditions, loss of power, and flooding straining families further. For many of the families Kids’ Meals serves, it means that the parents cannot get to work and a loss of income. Storms may also result in costly home damage due to fallen limbs and debris.
When natural disasters like this happen, the need for food by families is significantly greater.
Help Feed Hungry Kids
Kids’ Meals remains committed to feeding children whatever challenges may arise – and the organization needs community support now more than ever. As Kids’ Meals continues this week to deliver more than 15,000 meals a day, shelf-stable items are critically needed.
Here is how Houstonians can help:
- Restock the Kids’ Meals Shelf-Stable Pantry:
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- Shop in-store and drop off donations directly at Kids’ Meals (330 Garden Oaks Blvd, Houston, TX 77018).
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- Check out the Kids’ Meals Amazon wish list and have items shipped directly.
- Pack Meals from Anywhere: Consider packing lunches at home and dropping off completed lunch bags. Note this link for details on what to include.
- Give Financially: The transition to shelf-stable meals incurs additional costs. Kids’ Meals is grateful for donations in any amount to help cover expenses and sustain its commitment to serving the community. Donate at www.kidsmealsinc.org/give
Preparedness Measures in Place
Following the extreme loss of perishable food Kids’ Meals faced after the May derecho, the organization took proactive measures to ensure they would not encounter the same challenges. To safeguard against the loss of perishable foods during the expected hurricane-related power outage, the team pre-packed shelf-stable lunches for the children and delivered shelf-stable grocery items to help families brace for the hurricane.
About Kids’ Meals:
In 2024, Kids’ Meals will deliver more than 2.7 million free, healthy meals to the homes of hungry preschool-aged children who face debilitating hunger due to extreme poverty. Since 2006, Kids’ Meals has delivered more than 14 million meals and connected families to vital wraparound resources to help end the cycle of poverty. Kids’ Meals is the only program of its kind in the nation delivering an average of 9,869 free, healthy meals every weekday to 56 Houston-area zip codes. Visit www.kidsmealsinc.org, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X.
Media Contact:
Lauren Blalock
