Children need good nutrition all year long. When school is out during the summer months, many children no longer have access to even one nutritious meal each day. Research shows a lack of nutrition during the summer months may set up a cycle for poor performance once school begins. We must do all we can to ensure that children get nutritious food during the summer months so that they are ready to learn during the school year. The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is intended to feed kids during these “meal gap” periods.
Although about 31 million children nationwide receive free and reduced-priced meals through the National School Lunch Program during the regular school year, only a little more than 3 million kids are fed in our summer programs. This means that millions of eligible children are missing out. Your communities and organizations can be a game-changer by feeding more children nutritious meals during the summer and lowering the risk of them going hungry.
SFSP is a federally funded program administered by the States that fills the summer meal gap for low-income children by reimbursing organizations that serve children meals during summer months. Schools, churches, recreation centers, playgrounds, parks, and camps can provide summer meals in neighborhoods with high percentages of low-income families, which will make a difference in the lives of hungry children. The summer food sites are safe and familiar locations where children naturally congregate during the summer.
USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service is offering free webinar sessions on SFSP, so organizations can learn more about how to contribute to the program. The sessions will review SFSP, cover resources and tools available to help you get started, highlight successful programs and outreach practices from around the country, and will conclude with an open question and answer period with USDA FNS staff.
To learn more about the SFSP, please register to participate in one of our upcoming free webinar sessions. All webinars are 1 hour in length and occur on Wednesdays at 2:00pm EST (1:00pm CST / 12:00pm MST / 11:00am PST)
Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer - Getting State Elected Officials Involved – March 8
Summer Food Service Program - Alimenta a los Niños en el Verano (en español) - March 13
Already a CACFP Site? Then Become a Summer Food Service Program Site Too - March 20
Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer – Getting Local Elected Officials Involved – March 27
Addressing the Summer Food Transportation Challenge – April 3
To register, please click HERE!
To learn more about the Summer Food Service Program, please visit: www.summerfood.usda.gov.
Together we can tackle childhood hunger and ensure children are receiving the nutritious meals they need throughout the year. We look forward working with you!
