It’s one thing to create federal programs to help keep food on the table and a roof overhead. But it’s a whole other thing to get people to use to those programs.

When you’re living paycheck to paycheck – every dollar counts. Anti-poverty programs are designed to stretch those paychecks, but too often the dollars and programs designed to help struggling families don’t reach the people who need it most. Why? Because they don’t know they are eligible or how to access them.

That’s why United Way breaks down barriers to proven anti-poverty programs like the EITC, SNAP, and School Breakfast. With the help of volunteers, AmeriCorps members, and community partners, we connect eligible people with these resources and leverage over $35 million every year to tackle poverty. These are dollars that may otherwise be left on the table Washington DC.

A new report from Food Research & Action Center shows that while’s school’s out for the summer, many kids are at risk of hunger because they aren’t accessing free meals. We know that low-income parents spend an extra $316 per month on food during summer months and could benefit from these resources. In Washington, we served fewer kids last summer than we did the year before. This means we have more hungry kids and parents spending more of their hard-earned money on food while we are leaving money on the table that could be feeding kids. Not smart. Not ok.

Incoming! It’s the Summer Food Invasion! We’re teaming up with AmeriCorps VISTA, No Kid Hungry, City of Seattle to make healthy meals available to young people 18 and under all summer long. 100 AmeriCorps VISTA members will serve meals and provide fun activities at sites across King County. Our Summer Food Invasion Van will be out at sites twice a week with pop up events that include music, a bounce house, face painting and more.

But we need your help: The biggest reason people don’t use this program is awareness.

Take Action:  Spread the word about Summer Food Invasion by sharing this post on social media or requesting promotional materials.

Together we can tackle poverty and help make sure no kid is hungry this summer.