The carefree days of summer instead are times of struggle for families who rely on school lunches and breakfasts to provide their children with a nutritious meal.

But the Roadrunner Food Bank reports that several organizations came together to help ensure those children had an additional food source during these summer months.

Philanthropic foundations gave $260,000 to the Summer Food Program, which leverages an additional $264,000 in federal funds, reports Roadrunner Director Melody Wattenbarger.

Donors included the Albuquerque Community Foundation, the Anderson Foundation, the McCune Foundation, PNM Resources Foundation and several private donors. The Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives out of Gov. Bill Richardson’s office coordinated 37 Summer Food Program sites through New Mexico, while the Albuquerque Community Foundation served as the fiscal agents of the funds, according to Roadrunner.

Roadrunner’s role in the partnership was to provide food for children to take home over the weekend. Early this month Roadrunner reported that 5,000 children had already benefited from the program.

"The non-perishable food we provide is a great way to guarantee the children have food available to them if an adult is working," Wattenbarger said.

The Summer Food Program also has sites for hungry seniors, which will be available until Aug. 3.

To locate a site, contact the Children Youth and Families Department by calling (800) EAT-COOL or (800) 328-2665. If you know of a hungry child who would benefit from Roadrunner’s Food for Kids Program, contact Art Fine at (505) 349-8845.