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As summer comes to a close and families settle back into their school-year routines, GRACE is celebrating the impact our community made through Feed Our Kids (FOK) and GRACE Grocery Giveaway (GGG).
This summer, Feed Our Kids provided 29,579 meals to children during the summer months when school lunches were not available.
For 11 weeks, Monday through Friday, even on some of the hottest days of the summer, FOK operated across six sites throughout Grapevine. Across those 11 weeks, FOK provided 324 volunteer service opportunities, with more than 3,500 volunteers contributing over 7,300 volunteer hours to make the program possible.
From preparing and serving meals to welcoming children and creating fun activities and experiences, volunteers helped make each site a place where children could enjoy a meal, have fun, and feel connected to their community.
Through GRACE Grocery Giveaway, 375 households representing 1,758 individuals received food to help meet their weekend needs.
More than 120 volunteers contributed 350 volunteer hours, helping distribute fresh and nutritious food to families throughout the summer. GGG offered a farmers-market-style, self-select shopping experience, allowing families to choose from available fresh produce, meats, dairy products, and other groceries based on what their households needed.
FOK and GGG brought people together to provide food, build relationships, and create meaningful connections with the children and families we serve. Local businesses, churches, organizations, site hosts, and community partners all played an important role in making these programs possible.
One special example of the connections created through FOK is 13-year-old Alan, who spent his summer giving back in a very special way. Alan attended the GRACE Food Pantry location every single day this summer, making balloon animals for the children who came for lunch. Alan has been coming to this FOK site every summer for 10 years. When he was younger, he became interested in watching one of our longtime volunteers make balloon animals. She began teaching him each year, and before long, she told him he was making them better than she was!
Today, Alan has become a favorite part of the FOK experience. The children look forward to seeing him each day and receiving a special balloon creation made just for them. What started as a young boy watching a volunteer has grown into a wonderful example of how volunteering can create lasting connections and inspire the next generation to give back.
Want to help Alan get ready for next summer? You can send biodegradable balloons specifically designed for making balloon animals to GRACE, Attn: Alan, and we will make sure they get to him.
To everyone who played a part in Summer 2026—thank you! Whether you volunteered, hosted a site, provided food or resources, brought a group to serve, supported GRACE financially, or helped spread the word, you made a difference!
If you were involved with Feed Our Kids or GRACE Grocery Giveaway this summer, we would love to hear from you! Please take a few minutes to complete our Summer 2026 FOK & GGG Survey. Your feedback will help us reflect on this summer, identify opportunities for improvement, and plan and prepare for Summer 2027.
Thank you for being part of the GRACE community and for helping ensure local children and families have access to food, support, and a community that cares.
