A New Chapter in the Fight Against Weekend Child Hunger
Yellow Hope Foundation is proud to announce the national launch of Rise & Dine Weekends, a community-based initiative designed to close one of the most persistent gaps in America’s hunger safety net, the weekend meal gap.
Across the country, millions of children rely on free or reduced-price school breakfasts and lunches during the week. But when Friday comes, that support ends and for many families, the weekend brings two long days of uncertainty.
Rise & Dine Weekends aims to change that.
The Weekend Meal Gap: A Hidden Crisis
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), in 2023, 17.9% of households with children, about 6.5 million families, experienced food insecurity. Within those, 8.9% of households with children reported that children themselves went hungry at some point during the year.
While weekday meal programs like the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP) serve over 45 million students daily, most schools do not offer meals on weekends, leaving a recurring 48-hour gap in nutrition.
The effects are real:
- Hungry children are more likely to have difficulty focusing, higher absenteeism, and lower academic performance (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
- Chronic hunger can lead to long-term health issues, including weakened immunity and developmental delays (American Academy of Pediatrics).
That’s why programs that support children over the weekend are critical, they don’t just fill stomachs; they help sustain learning, growth, and hope.
Building on Local Success
Rise & Dine Weekends began as a community-based effort in California’s East Bay, serving families in Fremont, Union City, Newark, and Hayward.
Working alongside school districts, local food banks, and volunteers, Yellow Hope Foundation delivered nutritious, shelf-stable meal kits to children each Friday. These kits provided food security during the weekend and were tailored with cultural awareness, dietary safety, and dignity in mind.
The response was overwhelming. Families, teachers, and community partners confirmed what the data already showed that weekend hunger is real, and addressing it can make a measurable difference.
Encouraged by that impact, the Foundation is now expanding Rise & Dine Weekends nationwide under its Hope Against Hunger initiative.
How Rise & Dine Works
Every Friday, participating schools and community partners distribute meal kits containing easy-to-prepare foods children can safely handle on their own.
The program focuses on:
- Nutrition & Accessibility: foods that are healthy, shelf-stable, and affordable.
- Community Partnership: collaboration with local grocery stores, food suppliers, and food banks.
- Cultural Responsiveness: meals designed with respect for local traditions and dietary needs.
Each weekend kit represents a commitment — from one community to its children.
Scaling Hope Across the Nation
With the national launch, Yellow Hope Foundation is working to build regional partnerships with:
- School districts to identify and support students most in need.
- Food banks to leverage established networks and sourcing capacity.
- Local grocery stores and community centers to coordinate pickups and donations.
According to Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap 2025, nearly 13.4 million U.S. children, about 1 in 5, live in food-insecure households. Some counties report child food insecurity rates nearing 50%.
That’s why Rise & Dine Weekends isn’t just a program, it’s a growing movement to make sure no child in America goes hungry on Saturday or Sunday.
Looking Forward
As the program expands, Yellow Hope Foundation will measure success through local partnerships, volunteer participation, kit distribution, and community feedback.
The approach is simple: build local, scale responsibly, and measure impact honestly.
“Weekend hunger is one of the quietest crises in our country. Our mission is to close that gap with care, consistency, and community,”
- The Yellow Hope Foundation Team
Join the Movement
Ending weekend hunger will take all of us, schools, volunteers, businesses, and families working hand in hand.
If you’re a community leader, educator, or organization interested in bringing Rise & Dine Weekends to your area, we’d love to connect.
💛 Learn more at yellowhope.org/riseanddine
📬 Contact us: info@yellowhope.org
Together, we rise. Together, we dine.
🍎 Announcing the National Launch of Rise & Dine Weekends