Summer's here, school's out: Who's feeding your children?

School may be out for the summer, but don't think that means the taxpayer-funded free lunch program has ended:

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the second annual Summer Food Service Program Week to promote access to healthy meals when schools close for the summer. During the June 11-15 awareness campaign, USDA and its partners will redouble efforts to emphasize the important nutrition benefits offered through the federal Summer Food Service Programand other healthy meal options available for low-income young people across the nation.

“The Obama administration is focused on ending childhood hunger and tackling the summer hunger problem is central to that commitment,” said Vilsack. “Thanks to the strong support of our partners from state agencies, schools, advocacy groups and faith- and community-based organizations, access to healthy meals during summer is a reality for millions of children in need.”

During the school year, more than 21 million children receive free and reduced-price breakfast and lunch through the School Breakfast and National School Lunch Programs. The Summer Food Service Program is designed to make sure children can get the nutritious meals they need during the summer months so they’re ready to learn when they return to school in the fall. Last summer, USDA invested $373 million and fed approximately 2.3 million children on a typical day through the Summer Food Service Program.