Summer Lunch Program
Our community is coming together to make sure kids have access to food all summer long.
When school is out for the summer, many kids no longer have access to the lunches they receive at school. For families already experiencing food insecurity, this can bring added pressure during the summer months.
Through the Summer Lunch Program, we continue to serve K–12 children and youth across the city, Monday to Friday, working with camps and community programs across Calgary to make sure kids can continue to access food throughout the summer.
These lunches are provided at no cost to families, and help kids ids stay active, connect with friends, and feel part of their summer experience.
How it works
We support summer camps, summer schools, and community programs in different ways, depending on what works best for them:
- We provide prepared lunches
Some camps receive ready-to-eat lunches prepared in our Central kitchen. These lunches can include a variety of options, such as a sandwich, a snack, fruit, a vegetable, and a dairy item.
We offer a range of choices so that food can reflect different preferences and needs. We can also accommodate dietary needs, including Halal, lactose-free, and gluten-free options.
2. We provide funding and snack support
Other camps receive funding and food support to run their own programs. This can include items like fruits, vegetables, yogurt or cheese, baked goods, and snacks.
Summer Lunch Program in numbers
- In 2025, we partnered with 29 summer camps and schools across Calgary.
- Over 26,800 lunches and snacks were shared with kids.
- Programs were supported through prepared lunches, snacks, and funding.
- Each lunch costs $4 to prepare and deliver with care.
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76% of kids said lunches helped them play with their friends.
For Families
Looking for support this summer?
We’d love to connect. Reach out to us at hello@bb4ck.org
For Summer Camps
Interested in summer support for your camp or program?
Email us at lunches@bb4ck.org
What we’re hearing from our partners:
“The BB4CK Summer Program has been a huge asset for us this summer. Kids are more regulated, because they are fed! We have many children who consistently use the snacks available to round out their packed lunches; it is so wonderful to be able to encourage these kids to have healthy snacks without worrying about not having enough through the afternoon.”
“I was just going to say that some of the kids who are not able to bring food from home, they were just connecting with the people who were eating the sandwiches, being like, ‘oh, like, I’m not the only one that doesn’t have food to bring to programs’. So I think that really helped with, like, building their connection.”
“My sincere gratitude for your generous food donation for our summer camp. Your support made a significant impact and helped us provide meals to those in need. Your contribution and kindness played a crucial role in our efforts, made a real difference, and helped us to continue our mission.”