For most kids, summer means no class, no homework and absolute freedom.

Unfortunately, for the recipients of the 647,020 free school lunches served in Arizona last year, it also means very long days, with very little food -- in fact, only 23,688 lunches were served last summer. For the 493,000 children struggling with hunger, these numbers are downright terrifying.

For so many of us, a school lunch is something we don’t really ever think about. For these kids though, it’s a blessing and something they need to get by. Luckily, even during summer vacation, schools and various organizations are still serving breakfast and lunch to thousands who need it.

The Summer Food Service Program, in coordination with the Arizona Department of Education, is giving kids free meals during the summer at a variety of different locations like Freedom Park Center in Tucson or Abundant Life Center in Phoenix, or even the Wonderland Playhouse Childcare Center in Florence.

One Arizona kid struggling with hunger is too many, but 493,000? That’s mind boggling. These kids deserve better. We can end childhood hunger, we have the tools and the programs to do it. We can do better Arizona!