Many Tri-Cities children go hungry on the weekends. Here are 2 ways to help

For families facing hunger, the school year offers some needed relief.

Jean Tucker, the development and marketing director of Second Harvest, says the summer can be an especially tough time for families with children.

Free and reduced-price school lunches cover a lot of costs during the school year, and without them, low-income parents must find a way to put those missing meals on the table.

In the Tri-Cities, more than 58 percent of kids rely on free and reduced-priced lunches as a primary source of nutrition.

“As we say, hunger doesn’t take a summer vacation,” Tucker said.

Second Harvest, the nonprofit that distributes donated food to area food banks, feeds about 55,000 Tri-Citians a month, many of whom are kids.

And now that classes are starting again, many of the same children are also at-risk for going hungry on the weekends.

Heading into the fall there is a big need for sponsors, Tucker said.

It costs $15 per month for community members to sponsor a child in their Bite2Go program. And you can choose which school your donation goes to.

She said Second Harvest hears from teachers who say students are pocketing some of their lunch to save for later.

Bite2Go helps fill the gap between school and home.

The food kits give students four meals and three snacks to eat over the weekend during the school year. At the end of each week, school staff members discreetly put the kits in the backpacks of students in need.

The kits are packed by Second Harvest volunteers.

They include kid-friendly nonperishable items that don’t need refrigeration or cooking. Some of the foods are items that they don’t get enough of through donations, so they need to buy the items.

The program started in 2015 and sends food kits home with more than 700 students every week.

“It’s making such a big difference because teachers and counselors are telling us they have kids coming to school Monday morning who are starving, just very hungry,” she said. “Kids cannot focus when they are very hungry, none of us can.”

Taking a bite out of hunger

In addition to Bite2Go sponsors, Second Harvest is always looking for other donations of food, funds and time.

Its Oct. 9 event, Taking a Bite out of Hunger, is the biggest fundraiser of the year.

“Our challenge is not about having enough food in the area,” Tucker said, “Our challenge is always in having an ongoing supply of financial contributions to help us source and distribute that food.”

The popular food-and-beverage tasting event and auction is in its 14th year and raises money for food for Tri-City area food banks, as well as funds for other programs like Bite2Go.

Tickets are $100 and include the area’s top restaurants, vintners and brewers. Auction items range from sporting events, golf outings and dining to jewelry, decor and getaway packages.

The event is for ages 21 and older. No tickets will be sold at the door.