Oregon Legislators Look To Expand Summer Meal Access

Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley and Representatives Andrea Salinas and Val Hoyle have reintroduced bipartisan legislation aimed at expanding summer meal access for children in rural communities.

The Feeding Our Rural Kids, or FORK, Act would create a three-year grant program to help schools and community organizations purchase or retrofit vehicles to deliver meals closer to where families live.

“Every child—everywhere—deserves delicious and nutritious meals all year long,” said Merkley. “Communities in Oregon and across the United States are finding innovative ways to make sure students do not go hungry during the summer months. The bipartisan FORK Act builds on those efforts by helping rural communities expand meal delivery and meal pick-up at sites closer to where families live, so geography is never a barrier to feeding kids nationwide.”

The bill was inspired by Oregon's Umatilla School District, which converted a van into a mobile meal truck that serves children at parks throughout the community, reducing transportation barriers during the summer months.

“Summer meal programs do more than feed students; they offer vital spaces for nutrition, connection, and growth during the break," said Heidi Sipe, Umatilla School District Superintendent. "Our district's food truck has allowed us to replace basic sack lunches with a variety of hot, complete meals. This opportunity has also allowed us to partner with other organizations to team up for activities and community building while also providing such services in multiple locations due to the flexibility of the mobile truck option. Fueling learners across the Nation with the Feeding Our Rural Kids (FORK) Act is a strong investment in all students."

“No child should go hungry because school is out for the summer,” said Hoyle. "The FORK Act is an important step toward making sure every child can access the meals they need to grow, learn and thrive.”

“Summer should not mean losing access to a healthy meal," Salinas said. "But for too many children in rural Oregon, long distances and limited transportation make it harder to reach summer meal sites when school is out. The FORK Act offers a practical solution by helping schools bring meals directly to the children who need them. Every child deserves reliable access to nutritious food all year long, no matter their ZIP code."

Supporters said the legislation would help replicate that model nationwide, ensuring more rural children have access to nutritious meals when school is out.

The bill is endorsed by the: