Raley’s Food For Families has launched its Summer Fresh Drive, designed to raise funds and increase the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables at food banks throughout Northern California and Nevada.

During the school year, 21 million children from financially challenged homes in the United States eat a school lunch every day. The need for food assistance grows dramatically over the summer and fresh, healthy produce is in extreme short supply.

Food For Families food bank partners will have access to a variety of fresh produce, in addition to dry goods, to distribute in their respective communities.

“We know fresh fruits and vegetables are critical to individual health, so it’s with great pride that we offer our customers a way to help create wellness in their communities,” said Becca Whitman, Food For Families Executive Director. “Our customers and vendors are incredibly generous to our program and with their support, we can offer fresh fruits and vegetables to all.”

Every dollar counts and community members can help provide produce to food banks in their neighborhoods. Throughout the month of July, every Raley’s, Bel Air Markets and Nob Hill Foods will be participating in a summer donation drive. A $1 donation will help provide fresh fruits and veggies to a local food bank and will be matched by Raley’s, up to $25,000. Last summer, customers, team members and businesses raised over $600,000 to fight hunger in their communities.

“We see first-hand how hard summer months can be on local families, who rely on school breakfasts or lunches during school months,” shared Blake Young, President/CEO of Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services. “Fresh produce and other items from Raley’s Food For Families make a tremendous impact at our food distributions during the summer months. SFBFS serves over 130,000 men, women and children each month and the food from Raley’s Food for Families is greatly appreciated by the families we serve.”

This year, Raley’s Food For Families program celebrates 30 years. The program is an integral part of feeding those in need, in communities throughout Northern California and Nevada. The Summer Fresh Drive will provide fresh, nutritious produce, getting real food to real families.

Some Fresh Facts: 49 million Americans are food insecure - many of them children; 37 million Americans are being served by food banks and soup kitchens; 40 percent of people receiving emergency food assistance are also employed.

Families facing hunger are far less likely to eat a nutritionally complete diet and 90 percent of at-risk youth don’t get the recommended servings of vegetables on a regular basis.

The Food For Families program started in 1986 and has raised over $33 million and donated over 24 million pounds of food to families in need. For more information, visit www.foodforfamilies.org