Children of needy families can get one or two full meals a day through their school’s free or reduced breakfast and lunch program. But come summer, many of these young people may go hungry.

The Mount Si Helping Hand Food Bank in North Bend is stepping in to fill the gap. Each week during the summer, the food bank will provide extra breakfast and lunch items to families enrolled in the free and reduced program.

The food bank is also encouraging tweens and teens to get involved, helping prepare items for the Summer Cupboard on Tuesday mornings.

Residents can help by donating items such as canned tuna, chili, kid-friendly soup, macaroni and cheese, ramen noodles, canned fruit, peanut butter, cereal, and healthy snacks like granola bars, pretzels or trail mix.

You can learn more about Mount Si Helping Hand Food Bank’s mission at www.mtsifoodbank.org.