Community Conversation: Summer Food for Kids LWSD

Carmin Dalziel
March 10th, 2026
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Listening, Learning, and Exploring Community Solutions around providing food to kids this summer.

For many students, the school year provides more than education. It also provides reliable access to meals.

When school is out for the summer, that structure changes. Across the country, communities work together to ensure children and families still have access to food and the supports they need during these months.

The Kirkland Community Foundation has begun exploring whether there may be gaps in summer food access for students in the Lake Washington School District. As Kirkland’s place-based foundation, part of our role is to listen, connect partners, and help the community respond thoughtfully to emerging needs.

We know many organizations, schools, and volunteers are already working hard in this space. Our goal is not to duplicate existing efforts, but to better understand what currently exists, where families may face barriers, and how collaboration could strengthen the support already happening across our community.

To help guide this work, we are inviting nonprofit partners, schools, service providers, and community leaders to participate in a series of community conversations.

A Series of Three Conversations

The Kirkland Community Foundation is hosting a series of three conversations to help us better understand how families navigate food access during the summer months and what our community may be seeing on the ground.

Each conversation focuses on a different part of the picture so we can listen, learn, and explore possible next steps together.

Conversation #1 – Assessing Need

Understanding what partners are seeing on the ground

Friday, March 20, 2026 | 10:30 AM

We will explore questions such as:

• What does summer food access for students look like today in our community?
• Are there gaps or barriers families face once the school year ends?
• Are certain neighborhoods or populations more affected?
• What existing programs or informal supports may already be helping families?

Conversation #2 – Delivery Models

Exploring ideas for how summer food support could be delivered if gaps exist

Friday, April 3, 2026 | 10:30 AM

Topics may include:

• Possible program models
• What has worked in other communities
• Opportunities for collaboration among organizations

Conversation #3 – Resources

Discussing what resources, partnerships, and capacities could support a response

Friday, April 10, 2026 | 10:30 AM

Topics may include:

• Funding opportunities
• Partner roles and collaboration
• Community engagement and sustainability

Share Your Input

To help inform these conversations, we are also collecting early insight through a short partner survey. Whether or not you are able to attend, your feedback would be extremely helpful.

Please consider completing the survey by March 17:

https://forms.gle/PZbhrURpBHtmmwxb9

Who Should Participate

Nonprofit leaders, school partners, food access organizations, youth-serving organizations, and community members serving students in the Lake Washington School District who may have insight into how families navigate the summer months.

Please feel free to share this invitation with others in your network who may have information or perspective to contribute.

Supporting Community Solutions

As these conversations unfold, the Kirkland Community Foundation is also exploring the creation of a Summer Food Community Fund that could help support organizations working to address summer food access for local students and families.

When communities come together to identify a challenge, it is powerful to also have resources ready to respond. Having philanthropic funds available allows our community to support the organizations closest to the work — strengthening existing programs, encouraging collaboration, and helping promising ideas move forward.

If you believe every child in our community should have access to food and support during the summer months, we invite you to help us build this fund.

Your contribution will help ensure that when solutions emerge from these conversations, our community has the resources to act.

Help Us Build the Summer Food Community Fund

Your gift will help empower local organizations to respond to the needs of students and families during the summer months.

Donate to Support Summer Food Community Fund

Join the Conversation

You can also support this work by participating in the conversations or sharing your insights through the survey.

Register for a conversation:
https://NeedsSummerLWSDfood26.eventbrite.com
https://DeliverySummerLWSDfood26.eventbrite.com
https://ResourcesSummerLWSDfood26.eventbrite.com

Complete the partner survey:
https://forms.gle/PZbhrURpBHtmmwxb9

Founded in 2014, the Kirkland Community Foundation is a local community foundation supporting nonprofits across Kirkland and the Eastside. We connect donors, nonprofits, and community priorities through grants, partnerships, and local giving that strengthen our parks, people, and shared future. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 46‑4931717), we invest in thriving nonprofits, visible community impact, and trusted local leadership.

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Community Conversation: Summer Food for Kids LWSD

Listening, Learning, and Exploring Community Solutions around providing food to kids this summer.

A Series of Three Conversations

Conversation #1 – Assessing Need

Conversation #2 – Delivery Models

Conversation #3 – Resources

Share Your Input

Who Should Participate

Supporting Community Solutions

Help Us Build the Summer Food Community Fund

Join the Conversation

Learn and stay connected to the Kirkland nonprofit community

Thanks for your interest in joining the Kirkland Charitable Collective! Submit your info and we'll get back to you with details soon.

Spark Something Good - with the Kirkland Community Foundation

Community Project Letter of Interest

The story behind your idea —

Inquire about opening a donor-advised fund

Thank you for your interest in serving on our board of directors.

Please reach out to us with any inquiries or comments. We'd love to hear from you.