As SNAP shrinks and food banks struggle, schools become Arizona's summer safety net

By Stacy Mantle
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While summer break offers students a chance to rest and recharge, it creates new challenges for families who rely on school meal programs during the academic year.

Food costs have risen dramatically, and with children home throughout the day, summer can place additional financial pressure on households already struggling to make ends meet. 

Arizona has seen a dramatic decline in SNAP participation during the past year. Multiple reports show hundreds of thousands of Arizonans have lost food assistance benefits, including more than 200,000 children.

State officials cite federal rules passed in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, with new eligibility requirements, verification procedures and efforts to reduce payment errors, while advocates argue eligible families are increasingly struggling to navigate the system. 

"Food banks are already serving an unprecedented number of more than 770,000 people each month, so the added support to serve even more Arizonans during this time is deeply needed and appreciated," said April Bradham, president & CEO of Arizona Food Bank Network.

Growing need statewide

Arizona's summer meal programs arrive at a time when hunger relief organizations report growing need statewide.

According to Feeding America, one in five Arizona children experiences hunger and more than 1 million Arizonans experience food insecurity statewide. The result is growing concern among educators, anti-hunger advocates and food banks that more Arizona children could face food insecurity during the months when school is out.

The impact is being felt by food banks. St. Mary's Food Bank expects to serve about 300,000 more meals this year than last year, while St. Vincent de Paul has launched efforts to raise an additional $2 million and collect 500,000 pounds of food to meet growing demand. United Food Bank in Mesa reports food distribution has increased by 10% to 12% each month and officials say facilities are operating at capacity.

“For many low-income students, school meals are their main, and sometimes only, source of nutrition during the school year. Therefore, summer can be an especially difficult time when school is out of session," said David Robinson, senior community programs manager for AZ Food Bank Network. 

Districts expand summer access

School districts throughout Maricopa County are expanding free meal programs to help students stay nourished while classes are out.

Several Valley districts have released summer meal schedules for 2026.

Agua Fria High School District will serve free breakfast and lunch at Agua Fria High School in Avondale from June 1 through June 25. Meals are available to all children 18 and younger without registration or income verification.

"Summer meal access is essential to supporting local families and ensuring children continue to receive nutritious meals when school is out of session," said Barbara Duncan, director of food service for Agua Fria High School District. "For many families, summer meal programs help reduce financial stress, improve food security, and support students in returning to school healthy, nourished, and ready to learn."

Mesa Public Schools will operate meal sites at elementary, junior high and high schools as well as community locations throughout the district. The district is also promoting SUN Bucks to help eligible families purchase groceries during the summer months.

Phoenix Union High School District is participating in the summer food program for the 46th consecutive year, providing meals at campuses across the district throughout the summer. District officials noted for many students, summer can bring uncertainty about where their next meal will come from.

Additional districts and organizations across Maricopa County are expected to offer similar programs throughout June and July.

Awareness remains the biggest challenge

While Arizona's summer meal network continues to expand, advocates say the largest barrier is no longer eligibility but awareness.

Nationally, nearly 80% of children in low-income households live within reach of a summer meal site. Yet participation remains significantly lower than school-year meal programs. According to the USDA Summer Meals Study, lack of awareness is the most common reason families do not use available summer meal programs.

The USDA Summer Meals Study found that many families living near meal sites simply do not know the programs exist. Researchers identified awareness as the leading reason eligible children do not participate.

To address that challenge, schools, libraries and community organizations have increased outreach efforts through social media, flyers, district websites and community partnerships.

Officials say ensuring families know where meals are available may be just as important as opening additional sites.

Finding a summer meal site

All children and teens 18 and younger are eligible to receive free meals at approved summer meal sites across Arizona, regardless of household income, school enrollment or participation in free and reduced-price lunch programs.

Arizona families may also qualify for SUN Bucks, a summer grocery assistance program that provides eligible children with up to $120 in food benefits while school is out.

Cave Creek Unified School District does not provide free summer feeding meals, but they do participate in SUN Bucks. 

Foothills Food Bank delivers meals to qualifying families during the summer.

Families can find sites at AZSummerMeals.org or through USDA’s national summer meals map

Funded through the USDA Summer Food Service Program and the Seamless Summer Option, the programs provide free breakfasts and lunches at schools, parks, community centers and other neighborhood locations.

Many sites pair meals with summer school, recreation programs, literacy activities and other enrichment opportunities, creating community hubs where children can stay engaged while accessing nutritious food.

Education leaders say the approach addresses two needs at once: reducing food insecurity and helping students return to school healthy and ready to learn.

Stacy Mantle
Education Solutions Reporter

smantle@iniusa.org

Meet Stacy
Stacy Mantle is joining the team at Independent Newsmedia, Inc. as an Education Solutions journalist, thanks to a grant from the Arizona Community Collaborative. She has a long history in education that ranges from teaching junior high and middle school to developing curriculum and standards-based assessments.

Community: A longtime advocate for animal welfare, Stacy is deeply involved in rescue efforts and volunteers with several nonprofit organizations.

Random Fact: Once upon a time, she shared her home with a pet coyote and two wolf hybrids. The experiences were wild enough to become the subject of her first book!

Education: She holds a BA in English with a minor in Political Science, a Post-baccalaureate in Secondary Education, and an MBA with a emphasis on Marketing.

Hobbies: In her spare time, Stacy writes fast-paced urban fantasy novels, crafts small-batch artisan soap, and is always up for hiking or off-roading through the Arizona wilderness with her husband of 23 years.