Family Meals of Hope program sees growing demand this summer

OMAHA, Neb.— The Salvation Army of Omaha's Family Meals of Hope summer-season free-dinnertime-meals program is experiencing a jump in demand in just its second year of operation.

"We have to help one another, especially when there is such a crisis with food prices, food insecurity, and we don't want our families to suffer," said The Salvation Army Western Division’s Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) director Maria Moreno, who runs the meals program.

From June 1-15, 2025, EDS and its volunteers served 1,479 meals for the first 15 days of Family Meals of Hope's first season.  During the same period this year, they served 2,597 meals—an increase of more than 68 percent year over year.

It's a trend that has Moreno planning ahead for the rest of the season.

"This year, we're anticipating reaching a total of 10,000 meals just because we know the need is great,” Moreno said.

Moreno's team will continue to work alongside the team at the North Corps Community center kitchen (2401 Manderson St.), which cooks up all the meals for the program, to ensure that demand for food continues to be met as the summer continues.