New York City School Food Truck Staff Named Summer Meals Hero 2018

Washington, DC – The national anti-hunger campaign No Kid Hungry has announced five winners of its 2018 Summer Meals Hero contest. This year’s inspiring line-up of local champions is proof that it really does take a village to feed kids in the summertime. The winners include individuals from school districts and community organizations across the country who were nominated by members of their local community. Whether they spend their workday in a church, a hospital, or a food truck, these No Kid Hungry summer heroes go above and beyond to change the lives of kids in need.

One of the five recipients of the national award is José Lebron, who works on the School Food Truck that delivers free summer meals at the Sara D. Roosevelt Park in Manhattan. For the past four summers, José has worked tirelessly seven days a week at his summer meal truck to feed lunch to as many kids as possible. He goes out of his way to develop relationships with camps and programs in the surrounding areas and to really get to know the kids and parents he serves each day. “Countless times I've seen him convince wary families or shy kids to get their lunch with his earnest efforts,” said David Stillman with Hunger Free America, who nominated José for this award. “Whenever a kid or family passes near the site, he bellows, ‘Free Meals! Free meals for the kids! We've got sandwiches, carrots, apples!’ to get their attention.” 1 in 5 kids in New York City face hunger.

The Summer Meals program in New York City serves approximately 7 million young people under the age of 18 every year, at over 1,200 sites including the School Food Truck at the Sara D. Roosevelt Park.

Summer can be the hungriest time of year for many children from low-income families. When schools close, students no longer get school meals, and families struggle to put food on the table. Summer hunger can have a long-term impact on a child’s health, ability to learn and general well-being. No Kid Hungry and its partners focus on connecting kids to the national Summer Meals Program as a critical way to end childhood hunger.

“Reaching kids during the summer months can be a tough nut to crack, but I’m so inspired by the work that’s happening in communities all across the country,” said Lisa Davis, Senior Director of Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign. “Thanks to everyday heroes like the amazing folks we’re recognizing today, many more kids will return to school this fall well-nourished and ready to learn.”