ARCHS' partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the State of Missouri provided 5,500 area children in the Saint Louis Public School District access to healthy meals this past summer (2015), while making a $495,329 impact on the local economy in Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children (SEBTC) benefits.

Families participating in the ARCHS' summer food program used 94% of the funding available to them. This was the third time ARCHS participated in the project – one of the largest demonstration projects undertaken by the USDA.

Lessons learned from Missouri's project continue to inform decisions at the federal level about how to best address childhood hunger during the summer months when school meals are not available. Since 2012, ARCHS' program has provided more than 14,4o0 St. Louis area students with enhanced summer food benefits.

The Missouri project is a collaboration of the Missouri Departments of Social Services, Health and Senior Services, Elementary and Secondary Education, ARCHS, Local Investment Commission (LINC), Mississippi County Partnership, Saint Louis Public Schools, Kansas City Public Schools, and Hickman Mills School District.