As students head into winter break, some families in the Santa Maria Valley are facing a gap in food access as school meal programs pause for the holidays.
Local agencies say the break can be especially challenging for families who rely on free or reduced-price school meals and who may also see reduced work hours during the winter months.
“Kids are getting two to sometimes three meals during school and during the winter break,” said Laurel Alcantar, Foodbank of Santa Barbara County Director of Marketing. “Those meals are absent.”…