Food insecurity is an issue that impacts thousands of people throughout New York. According to the New York State Comptroller’s office, one in 10 people suffer from food insecurity.

Middletown Parks and Recreation is teaming with the city school district to provide free lunches to families this summer.

As Middletown resident Tamaya Pittman enjoys pushing her daughter Harmony on the swing in a nearby neighborhood park, one thing Pittman doesn’t have to worry about this summer is feeding her child.

The Summer Free Lunch program is helping many families offset the high cost of groceries these days.

“Especially at the end of the month, it's a hard time,” said Pittman.

Pittman is one in about 800,000 New Yorkers struggling with food insecurity.

“It just helps everybody, and it can help bring people together and a time of need and help our children and all, and help our community as well, and give us the things that [are] hard to get,” said Pittman.

Lauren Burr, the Middletown school district’s assistant director of food and nutrition services, is working with Middletown Parks and Recreation to get people and children fed.

“We distribute about 275 lunches through all the 10 locations in Middletown and the surrounding community. But the children really rely on these meals throughout the school district and through the year,” said Burr.

Burr says this is the second year a mobile meal route is being provided to five different locations in the surrounding areas.

“Last year for the summer food service program, we served approximately 73,000 meals,” said Burr.

Pittman and her daughter will continue enjoying everything the outdoors has to offer, while also getting free lunches.

“This helps out a lot, and being able to bring my daughter out, spend time with my daughter is great,” said Pittman.

The summer meals are funded through the USDA. Families in need can text the word “food” to 304304, or call 1-866-3-HUNGRY for summer meals near you.