Summer Food Service Program (SFSP): Food That's in When School is Out

Posted by request. This was posted to the Senior Corps list, but is great information for LSA programs, as well:

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From: Senior Corps Email Discussion List Subject: [nssctalk] Summer Food Service Program (SFSP): Food That's in When School is Out

We would like to encourage Senior Corps sponsors to consider partnering with this USDA and state-sponsored summer meals program for low-income children. Please also share this information with other organizations in your communities that might be appropriate sites where meals can be served or that might be interested in becoming a local SFSP sponsor.

Summer Food Service Program: Food That's in When School is Out

Each summer, 18 million students are at risk of going hungry when the school year ends and school lunches are no longer available. For many children, school meals are the only complete and nutritious meals they eat, and in the summer they go without. This summer, the need will likely increase.

The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) can help to fill the summer meal gap for low-income children. Faith-based, community and private non-profit organizations can make a difference in the lives of hungry children by serving meals with SFSP, a federally funded program administered by states that reimburses organizations for meals served to children during the summer.

Schools, churches, recreation centers, playgrounds, parks, and camps can serve meals in neighborhoods with high percentages of low-income families. These venues are safe and familiar locations where children naturally congregate during the summer. There are two ways to get involved with the SFSP. Your organization may become a SFSP site where meals are served, or a SFSP sponsor that both serves meals and keeps track of the accounting and paperwork. Sponsors are reimbursed for all meals served that meet USDA's nutrition standards.

The number of children participating in the SFSP is only a fraction of the students that participate in school meal programs. Please consider partnering with the program to feed more children this summer.

Please click here to view a webinar presentation about participating in SFSP: http://www.fns.usda.gov/fns/outreach/sfsp_webinar.wmv

Additional information, resources about hosting a site and providing reimbursable meals, as well as SFSP contacts by state are available at: http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Summer/