Youth Summer Meals Program Seeks Sponsors
Last year, Washington students were provided more than 1.5 million meals over the summer.
OLYMPIA — March 2, 2020 — The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) is seeking sponsors for the 2020 Summer Food Service Program. The program helps ensure children experiencing poverty continue to receive nutritious meals during the summer, when they do not have access to school meals.
“Last summer, 17,000 meals were served to children in our community,” said Alisha Peretti, Director of Nutrition Services at Federal Way Public Schools. “Thanks to the Summer Food Service Program, children have access to nutrition during the summer that otherwise may not be available.”
Federal Way is one of 162 sponsors that ran summer meals programs in 2019. Together, these sponsors ran about 1,000 individual sites that served over 1.5 million meals to students across the state.
Organizations that may sponsor meal sites include:
- Public and private nonprofit schools
- Residential and non-residential summer camps
- Nonprofit organizations
- Tribal organizations
- Units of local, county, municipal, and state government
- Colleges and universities that participate in the Upward Bound Program
Once a site has been approved, all children — regardless of family income level — can receive a free meal at the site.
Eligibility & Requirements
Eligible sponsors will operate a nonprofit meal program during the summer for youth ages 18 and younger. Meal sites must be located in areas where at least 50% of the children are eligible for free or reduced-price school meals or where at least 50% of the children enrolled in a specific program (e.g., summer camps) are eligible for free or reduced-price school meals.
Meals must meet United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) meal pattern requirements. Sponsors may prepare their own meals or purchase them from a school district or food service management company. Sponsors are reimbursed for eligible meals served.
Each site may serve each child up to two meals per day. Sites serving primarily migrant children and residential camp sites may serve each child up to three meals per day.
More Information
Training information is located on the Summer Food Service Program site. Potential sponsors should plan to attend a session. Applications will be available in April 2020.
For more information, please visit OSPI’s Summer Food Service Program webpage or contact OSPI’s Child Nutrition Services department at 360–725–6200.
Nondiscrimination Statement
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877–8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) online or at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632–9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250–9410; fax: (202) 690–7442; or email USDA Program Intake.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
