Arlington Parks, Recreation & Culture has earned a prestigious national award for its "Feeding Children, Fueling the Future" initiative, which aims to boost and modernize summer meal programs for children while establishing long-term capabilities in managing federally funded nutrition programs through the USDA. The accolade was presented at the U.S. Conference of Mayors Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C., where Arlington was honored alongside just eight other cities across America that are leading innovative health and sustainability efforts.

As a recipient of this award, Arlington is poised to strengthen its local summer nutrition programs by becoming an approved Contracting Entity for the Texas Department of Agriculture under the USDA Summer Food Service Program. The initiative involves utilizing community recreation centers as hubs for neighborhood meal distribution, ensuring access to nutritious food during school breaks when traditional cafeteria services are unavailable.

"This investment helps us meet families where they are — in their neighborhoods, at our recreation centers, and in spaces they already trust," said Gary Packan, director of Arlington Parks, Recreation & Culture. "By building local capacity to deliver USDA-supported meals, we’re not just addressing summer hunger today, we’re creating a sustainable system that will serve Arlington children for years to come."

Arlington’s initiative is in line with the City Council’s strategic priority of Strengthening Our Communities. It underscores the city’s dedication to youth welfare and equitable access to essential services, leveraging federal programs and direct administration to grow its summer meals program. The process to become a Texas Department of Agriculture–approved Contracting Entity for the USDA Summer Food Service Program is set to commence shortly, with plans to roll out expanded meal offerings by summer 2027. Further details regarding specific locations and timelines will be disclosed once these plans are finalized.