When the school bell rings for holiday break, most kids count down to time off and fun. But for thousands in North Texas, that same break means something else: days without school meals.

Lovepacs works to close that gap.

"We shouldn't have kindergartners who are rationing food, who are worried whether they and their siblings will be hungry over Thanksgiving break," Lovepacs volunteer Leah Thrapp said.

"Lovepacs' mission is to have the children in our community feel the love of their community, through the food," Thrapp said.

The nonprofit provides boxes of food to children at risk of going hungry while school is closed. Each box is decorated by volunteers, some with drawings, others with handwritten notes, serving as a reminder that every child is cared for.

"Each box is going to have two meals and a snack for each day when they're out of school. And we want it to be easy to prepare while kids are at home," said Autumn Chavez, the executive director of Lovepacs.

The meals are simple items like oatmeal, peanut butter and jelly, or ramen, which require no extra ingredients or adult help.

Lovepacs operates across 14 school districts and is run entirely by volunteers.

"There's all this awful stuff happening in the world, and I feel like I can't do anything about it. But I can do something about this. I can make sure there's kids in my neighborhood that have enough to eat and aren't hungry," said Thrapp.

The need this year is higher than ever, up about 30%. During Thanksgiving break alone, Lovepacs fed 7,000 children.

To support their work, Tom Thumb and Albertsons awarded Lovepacs a $1,000 donation as part of the CBS News Texas 11 Days of Giving campaign.

The boost will help Lovepacs continue its mission year-round, ensuring no child in North Texas goes hungry when school doors close.

"We have so many stories of how just a few cans, what it does for a kid who receives the box. So just know, you can make a difference. It does matter."