Summer of Feeding Children
Today, one in five children in the U.S. faces food insecurity.
When school meal programs pause for the summer, many families are left struggling to fill the gap.
This summer, Mercy Chefs is stepping in to help bridge that gap, ensuring kids in underserved communities have access to food even after the school year ends. Through partnerships with youth camps, schools, and churches across the country, we are distributing backpacks filled with the equivalent of seven nutritious meals, bringing tangible hope to children.
No child should have to worry about their next meal.
In Hampton Roads, our Feed 757 initiative is reaching thousands of local kids with meal-filled backpacks.
But our outreach doesn’t stop there! Through our Community Kitchens, Mercy Chefs is also serving hot, chef-prepared meals to children at summer programs.
From Portsmouth, VA, to Tampa, FL, to Nashville, TN, we are on the ground, raising awareness, offering comfort, and providing nutritious meals to children in need throughout the summer.
August 20, 2025
164,000+ Meals Served to Kids This Summer
This summer, Mercy Chefs provided over 164,000 meals to children in need nationwide. Through our Summer Huddle program, we teamed up with local athletes to distribute backpacks filled with wholesome snacks and easy-to-prepare meals. Families also came together at packing parties to help feed their neighbors. In our Community Kitchens, kids at summer camps and school programs enjoyed hot, nutritious meals, giving them strength and hope.
As the new school year begins, we continue to partner with local programs to ensure children have access to the food they need. Thank you for helping us fight childhood hunger!
August 15, 2025
Love in Every Meal
At our Portsmouth Community Kitchen, more than nourishment, we serve love. This summer, we reached thousands of children and families throughout the Hampton Roads area. From summer camps to senior centers, after-school programs to local churches, our chefs prepared each plate with the same care they’d offer their own families.
Beyond daily meals, we offered youth cooking classes, backpacks filled with kid-friendly food, and special events designed to bring neighbors together. We’re grateful for the chance to serve right here at home.
August 7, 2025
Closing Summer 2025 in Community
Families in Portsmouth gathered for a fun afternoon as Mercy Chefs hosted a Back-to-School Block Party to close out our summer feeding program. After serving thousands of children through summer schools, camps, and other outreaches across the country, we were honored to help families right here at home start the year strong.
The event provided more than 700 backpacks filled with school supplies, nearly 1,400 hot, chef-prepared meals, free haircuts, and family-friendly activities. We’re grateful to everyone who served alongside us and made this event possible. Read more about the celebration here.
July 28, 2025
Hope from Coast to Coast
From California and Tennessee to Kentucky and North Carolina, our staff and volunteers distributed backpacks filled with ready-to-eat meals and snacks on Saturday, July 26. These special deliveries reached children recovering from disasters and facing food insecurity—giving them something they can proudly call their own.
Thank you to every hand that made this possible. Hundreds of children are entering a new school year with full hearts, full stomachs, and a renewed sense of hope.
June 25, 2025
Kicking Off Feed 757
Mercy Chefs kicked off Feed 757—an initiative in Hampton Roads combating child food insecurity—at Hodges Manor Elementary School. This kickoff marks the beginning of a seven-week outreach, ensuring children across Hampton Roads have access to meals while school is out. Learn more about our initiative here.
Together, we are empowering families facing hardship, right here in Virginia and nationwide.
June 23, 2025
Emergency Relief for Nashville Students
When a Community Engagement Officer in Nashville, TN, shared that students in summer school were receiving only chips and juice boxes for dinner—often their only evening meal—we knew we had to act.
Since then, our Nashville Community Kitchen has been serving hundreds of hot, nutritious meals daily to students, many of whom are in foster care or experiencing homelessness. Our team will continue this vital work through the end of the summer session.
This is a powerful reminder of the growing need across our nation. But your support enables us to bring nourishment and hope to kids in need.
Send a Meal
We’ve seen firsthand the impact a hot meal can have on a child. You can be part of that transformation.
Your gift today will help us reach more children with life-giving meals this summer. Together, we can make sure no child is forgotten.
