The joy of having a baby over summer vacation offers a time to explore with your friends, discover new things about the world and yourself, and recharge for a few months before heading back to school in the fall.
(FEATURE IMPACT) The joys of having children on offer during summer holidays A time to explore with your friends, discover new things about the world and yourself, and recharge for a few months before heading back to school in the fall. However, for millions of families, the end of the school year also marks the beginning of a stressful season filled with difficult choices, as children may be away from the classroom for months.
The summer break begins when school doors close and many children lose access to the daily routine, academic support and reliable nutrition that helps them thrive. For families already dealing with tight budgets and demanding schedules, summer can quickly turn into a season of added stress and strain.
Summer learning loss – or the decline in academic skills and learning during the school holidays – can have lasting effects on academic outcomes. Study Over the summer, students may forget 20-30% of what they learned during the school year. Without the right support, students often start the new school year playing catchup, which can cause them to fall further behind.
Summer can also intensify food insecurity. of More than 22 million children Many who rely on free or reduced-price school meals lose access to these important programs in the summer. When these meals disappear, families must stretch already limited budgets to cover 10 additional meals per week. Actually, recently United Way Global Data From 211 – the free 24/7 helpline that connects people to local resources – identified food access as one of the most pressing needs facing millions of families nationwide.
These overlapping pressures fall especially hard on the millions of working families who live paycheck-to-paycheck, including Alice (assets limited, income limited, employed) family. They earn above the federal poverty level but still struggle to afford basic expenses such as housing, medicine, food and transportation.
Addressing the summer gap requires a community-wide approach and solutions that meet working families where they are. For example, United Way Community School are community-based hubs that bring together schools, social service agencies, volunteers and other community partners to provide students and families with needed support such as tutoring, access to food and health and wellness resources.
Families also need simple, practical, everyday tips and local resources to help them make ends meet and help their kids stay on track.
Learning that fits into your day
For busy families, low- or no-cost learning moments that fit into packed schedules can make a real difference. Many communities and nonprofits offer summer programs dedicated to keeping children active and learning, such as:
- Summer art classes, creative writing workshops, and digital literacy tutoring at local libraries
- Free monthly book distribution and reading challenges Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library – a United Way partner – or book exchange here Little Free Library In high traffic areas
- Gardening classes, nature appreciation classes and swimming lessons through local parks and recreation departments
- Free weekly youth workshops offered by many public museums, zoos and botanical gardens
- Free virtual museum field trips through institutions like the Smithsonian and NASA Glenn Research Center
- Free online courses on anything from coding to art or language learning
Accessing your community’s food network
Families should not have to choose between nutritious food and other essential foods. Help is available to ensure kids get the nutrition they need to thrive in the summer. Although resources vary by community, examples include:
- Youth-serving organizations are serving as open summer meal sites, providing free breakfast and lunch to children and teens.
- City parks departments provide daily food stations
- school districts offering summer meal programs; Food delivery can be an option
- Local houses of worship host open house meal events or distribute weekend grocery bags for families
For those looking to make a difference this summer, consider lending a hand to help children and families. Volunteering is a rewarding way to give back to your community. Whether it’s mentoring, serving meals, reading with students, or supporting local programs, even a small time investment can have a lasting impact. After all, when families thrive, communities thrive.
To learn more about early childhood summer learning programs, food initiatives and ways to support your community, visit unitedway.org.
Source:
–
Previously published at editors.familyfeatures.com
***
Join The Good Men Project as a Premium Member today.
All premium members can see A full list of benefits is here.
–
Photo credit: The United Way is global
