I have a special request for hurting kids here at home.

Did you know that 13 million kids in America face food insecurity? That means they are often not sure where their next meal will come from. Shockingly, one in eight kids goes to bed hungry... right here at home!

And the situation is far worse in the summer when kids are away from school feeding programs.

+ + Here's how we're helping hurting kids this summer...

This summer, Mercy Chefs is teaming up with professional athletes to connect with and feed kids while school is out. We spent this past weekend in pro football player Davon Godchaux’s (pictured above) home state of Louisiana as part of our Summer Huddle initiative. Davon led hundreds of kids in a free football camp and helped Mercy Chefs serve lunch to their families. At these Summer Huddle events, Mercy Chefs is helping to distribute backpacks to children. Each backpack is filled with the equivalent of about 10 meals for the children, and our goal is to help give backpacks to 7,000 kids.

Mercy Chefs is also helping feed and support tens of thousands of children through outreaches that extend across the country. First, we're providing thousands of hot meals every week to hurting kids at summer camps. These programs run through July and will distribute more than 75,000 hot meals to children this summer.

+ + Your gift of $35 can provide 30 meals for a child

Our summer outreaches will provide over 100,000 meals to kids here at home -- but we need YOUR HELP!

Would you prayerfully consider sponsoring 10 hot meals ($35) or perhaps 6 backpacks each with 10 meals (about $70)? Perhaps you can do more and sponsor 30 hot meals for kids ($105), or a dozen backpacks ($140). Go here to help kids here at home this summer:

Children are the innocent victims of disaster and hardship. Summer is an important time to help kids who are hurting the most. We have an opportunity to reach tens of thousands of kids in cities across America, but we can't do it without your partnership!

Thanks in advance for your consideration.

May God bless you,

Gary LeBlanc, Mercy Chefs