Summer Hunger Is Real in Plano: How You Can Help Kids Eat When School Is Out
For most Plano families, summer means pool days, late mornings, and a slower pace. But for thousands of children right here in Collin County, summer means something else entirely: two meals a day that are suddenly no longer guaranteed.
When the school bell rings for the last time in May, it takes with it something many families depend on quietly and without fanfare — free and reduced-price breakfast and lunch. For kids who rely on those meals, summer isn't a break. It's a gap.
The Numbers Behind the Need
The scale of child hunger in our region is sobering. According to the North Texas Food Bank, more than 254,000 children across the 12 counties it serves — including Collin County — don't know where their next meal is coming from. That gives our region the fourth-highest child food insecurity rate among major U.S. metros. Texas now leads the nation in overall food insecurity, with more than 5.4 million residents affected — and one in five children in North Texas faces hunger.
Those numbers have grown harder to address this year. The "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" — signed into law last summer — cut an estimated $187 billion from SNAP over the next decade and expanded work requirements that have already caused more than 223,000 Texans to lose benefits since May 2025. Feeding Texas reports that more than half of those who lost access were children. Nationally, 3.5 million people lost SNAP access in just the first six months after the law took effect.
Food banks are doing everything they can, but as Feeding Texas has noted, for every meal a food bank provides, SNAP provides nine. Community-level response has never mattered more.
What's Happening Here in Plano
That's exactly why Table of Blessings exists — and why our monthly distributions matter so much right now.
Every month, we set up at Preston Meadow Lutheran Church and open our doors to any neighbor who needs food. No appointments. No lengthy paperwork. Just fresh groceries, friendly faces, and a community that shows up for one another. Our distributions typically take place on the third Wednesday of each month, and we serve Plano and the surrounding area as a proud partner of the North Texas Food Bank. For a complete list of requirements, click here.
This summer, if you or someone you know needs food support, please come. You are welcome here.
Other Local Resources for Families This Summer
Table of Blessings is one part of a larger network of neighbors helping neighbors across Collin County. Several other trusted organizations are also serving families this summer:
Minnie's Food Pantry in Plano offers weekly distributions and has served millions of meals to North Texas families. The Storehouse provides food and other essentials to Collin County residents in need. God's Pantry and the Salvation Army Plano also offer food assistance and additional family support services. The North Texas Food Bank's website includes a pantry locator to help you find the closest resource on any given day.
For families with children, it's also worth asking about summer meal programs through local school districts and community centers, which can provide weekday meals for kids even when school is out.
How You Can Help Before Summer Ends
If you're a Plano neighbor looking for ways to make a real difference for local kids this summer, here's where to start:
Donate food or funds. Our most-needed items include peanut butter, canned proteins, pasta, rice, shelf-stable milk, and healthy snacks kids can enjoy on their own. Monetary donations allow us to source food strategically through the North Texas Food Bank, where dollars go further. Every contribution — large or small — feeds a real child in our community.
Volunteer at a distribution. All of the local food providers need help now and then. It's a few hours that leave a lasting impression — on the families you serve and on you. Reach out to one near you and get involved.
Spread the word. Many families who need help don't know where to find it, and many neighbors who want to help don't know we exist. Share this article. Follow us on Facebook or Instagram @tableofblessingsplano and share our posts. A single share can connect a family to a meal.
Host a food drive. Whether it's your workplace, your church, your neighborhood association, or your kid's summer sports team — any group can organize a simple drive. We'll help you get started.
Summer is short. But hunger doesn't take a vacation. Together, we can make sure no child in Plano goes to bed hungry while school is out.
Sources & Learn More
Whether you need food this summer or want to help a neighbor who does, Table of Blessings is here. Visit us at Preston Meadow Lutheran Church in Plano on the third Wednesday of each month, check tableofblessings.org for the next distribution date, or reach us at info@tableofblessings.org or (903) 776-4608. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @tableofblessingsplano to stay connected. This community takes care of all — and there's a place for you in that story.
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