Innovative Delivery Pilot Brings Summer Meals to Over 520 NRW Children

The North Rose-Wolcott Central School District has entered a partnership with Amazon and No Kid Hungry to have free meals shipped directly to children’s homes over the summer through the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).

North Rose-Wolcott is the first school district in New York State and one of only 17 organizations nationwide to participate in this grant-funded pilot, which aims to improve access to nutrition for rural families while creating a sustainable home delivery model.

Children 18 and under residing in the North Rose-Wolcott district – whether they attend school at NRW or not – are eligible to receive weekly shipments of shelf-stable breakfasts and lunches to their homes during the 10-week summer break, increasing access to the meals already available to children through the Summer Food Service Program. Over 520 children have already signed up to participate in the delivery program.

Rita Lopez, North Rose-Wolcott Food Service Director, applied to become part of the pilot program after attending the No Kid Hungry Summer Nutrition Summit. “I thought it would be amazing to bring this to our district,” Lopez said.

For many children, school meals ensure reliable access to nutrition during the school year. However, when schools close for the summer, these meals disappear and families can feel the strain on already-tight budgets, especially in rural areas.

According to Samantha King, Sr. Manager of Innovation at No Kid Hungry, “We’ve heard from rural families across the country that they value the convenience, privacy, and nutrition that home delivery could offer in the summer. That’s why we are developing this model with Amazon and pioneering rural school districts and community partners. The goal is a family-centered model that is both feasible and sustainable for rural partners.”

Each meal box includes a variety of nutritious, kid-friendly, shelf-stable breakfast and lunch foods that are shipped weekly via Amazon’s delivery network. Families are able to track the meal boxes during the delivery process.

The program is open to all children ages 18 and under residing in the North Rose-Wolcott district, as well as individuals with disabilities up to age 21 who are participating in a school program. It’s not too late for eligible families to sign up for the remainder of summer – visit www.nrwcs.org/summermeals to access the registration form.

“We are proud to be able to help support families and keep children nourished during the summer through this innovative program,” Lopez said.