KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Around 13 million children in the U.S. don't have enough food, according to Feeding America. It also reports kids lack access to healthy food.
SUN Bucks is a new grocery benefit for school-aged kids. Eligible families can get $120 per child to buy groceries during the summer. If families are enrolled in benefits like SNAP, then their school-age children should be automatically enrolled in the SUN Bucks program.
Children can also get free SUN Meals from local sites across the state. The Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee sponsors the program in Knox County. The program has been around since 1968.
Adam Caraco, the assistant director of nutrition services for the CAC, said the organization has around 100 sites.
"Anybody that's under 18 can get a free meal at the sites. Each site has two meals that they choose from, breakfast, snack or lunch. Two out of those three," he said.
Meals are often provided along with activities to support children's growth and development. At the Dr. E.V. Davidson Community Center, meals are served to kids in its summer camp.
"We've got our KORE summer camp," said Jaret Kahm, assistant recreation specialist at E.V. Davidson. "It's a camp for kids ages six through 12. And then we also have another teen camp at Cal Johnson, which is for ages 13 through 15. We meet here Monday through Friday. We'll do different activities here as well. We'll go on trips to different places, such as the pool. We'll go to places in Sevierville like NASCAR Speed Park. We just do lots of different things here."
Caraco said these programs are important to have because some kids might not have food at home.
"When school's out, it can be a challenge for families to figure out a rising cost of grocery bills, anything, every little thing can help," said Caraco. "So yeah, being able to help out all the partners that we have in being able to provide meals to all the kids that might need help with getting meals, we're happy to do that."
He said Knox County Schools provides the food for the meals program.
In 2023, Meals To-Go launched to offer pickup and delivery options for meals, especially in rural areas where SUN Meals aren't available.
Families don't have to sign their kids up for the Sun Meals program. Locations and hours of meal sites are available here. Parents are just asked to stay with their kids.