Summer can be a time of struggle for many vulnerable families. Studies show that household food budgets increase by an average of $300 each month during the summer as school-based breakfast and lunch programs end with the school year. This can make it that much harder for children to get enough nutrition while out of school. For growing children, malnutrition carries a wide range of risks: hungry kids are less likely to retain lessons from the previous year, while easy access to affordable junk food increases their chances of becoming obese and developing asthma, juvenile diabetes, and heart disease. Feeding America projects that nearly 14% of kids in Sonoma County are food insecure as of 2021, a number which encompasses over 13,000 children. The goal of our summer cereal drive is to collect donated low-sugar cereal to supplement the increased need over the summer months.