School is out. But that means thousands of students in New Hanover, Pender and Brunswick counties who qualify for free or reduced cost lunch during the school year, may go without a complete meal this summer. To combat this, the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina at Wilmington will serve free breakfast, lunch and two servings of fresh fruit to about 220 local young people at three sites this summer, said Jennifer Caslin, Wilmington Regional Development Manager of the Food Bank.

The organization will distribute these meals at the Communities in Schools in New Hanover and Pender counties and at the Wilmington Residential Adolescent Achievement Place (WRAAP) at Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church on Princess Place. The food bank’s three summer feeding sites will be supported by funds from the USDA. But the group will provide the fresh fruit out of its budget, Caslin said.

According to data provided by the three school districts, as of March, 23,672 youth in New Hanover County, 7,217 youth in Brunswick County and 4,703 youth in Pender County are living at or below the poverty level and qualify for free or reduced cost lunch during the school year.

“Most programs don’t provide free lunch during summer school,” Caslin said.

To raise awareness and funds, the organization will hold an annual community-wide food drive on Saturday. Kids Summer Stock Food and Funds Drive will be held on June 19 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Mayfaire Town Center Event Field. It will feature live music, dance performances and a magic show.

The community is encouraged to donate pop-top items such as cans of soup or individual apple sauce or vegetable cups, individual-size cereal boxes, oatmeal, cereal bars, granola bars and juice boxes, Caslin said.

For the past two summers, the Kids Summer Stock Food and Funds Drive provided 3 million meals for children and their families during the summer throughout 34 counties.

For more information on how to donate funds, food or time throughout the year, visit wilmington.foodbankcenc.org