No Kid Hungry Florida named James Lykins a 2026 Summer Hunger Hero after Hillsborough County Public Schools distributed more than 650,000 free meals during summer 2026.

Lykins, regional supervisor for Student Nutrition Services, is one of five people statewide to receive the honor, according to a district release dated Aug. 24 and published Thursday, Aug. 27. The award recognizes school nutrition professionals who expand access to meals when cafeterias close for summer.

Under Lykins' oversight, the district's Summer Feeding Program operated more than 150 sites across the county. Locally, families in Ruskin picked up free seven-day meal boxes at South County Career Center on John Sherman Way, and Summer BreakSpot locations served children 18 and under near Apollo Beach, East Bay High School and Lennard High School with no registration required.

Lykins also created the district's first grab-and-go meal site. He led site selection, staffing and cross-departmental coordination. That single location distributed more than 14,000 meals per week, according to the district.

The numbers stood out.

"His vision and leadership resulted in more than 14,000 meals being distributed each week from a single location," said Shani Hall, general manager of Student Nutrition Services. Hall said Lykins consistently works to remove barriers for families seeking nutritious meals for their children.

Superintendent Van Ayres said in the announcement that Lykins "demonstrates what it means to put students first" and called the recognition a reflection of the Student Nutrition Services team's work.

The Summer Feeding Program for 2026 has concluded. Families seeking meal assistance during the school year can visit the district's website for information on free and reduced-price meal programs.