FORT SMITH (KFSM) - Many families rely on school lunches to be part of their kids diet. Since students across the area are currently out of school, The River Valley Regional Food Bank is making sure they have enough food during the break.
The holiday season is a time filled with family and cheer, but for some families it's a struggle to get a meal on the table.
"For the families who have children who depend on school meals it's a real struggle," said Ken Kupchick, Director of Marketing at The River Valley Regional Food Bank.
The Christmas holiday is just over two weeks for students which includes three weekends. "When you start to add it up, that's 10,000 kids relying on school meals," according to Kupchick.
For west central Arkansas, there's 1.2 million meals that kids are going to miss. The food bank is doing all they can to stock pantries to make sure the kids get fed. "We can provide for about 45 percent of that," said Kupchick.
Kupchick said they're in desperate need of food donations at the start of the year.
The food bank is closed Friday (Dec.26). However, you can start bringing donations starting on Monday (Dec.29).
Organizers said local supermarkets will be donating extra food that is leftover from the holidays.