Sponsors Needed for Summer Meals Program

Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction sent this bulletin at 03/04/2019 02:43 PM PST

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Sponsors Needed for Summer Meals Program

Summer meals programs are designed to ensure students experiencing poverty have access to regular, healthy meals while they are not in school.

OLYMPIA—March 4, 2019—The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction is seeking sponsors for the 2019 Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). The SFSP helps ensure children experiencing poverty continue to receive nutritious meals during the summer, when they do not have access to school meals.

“Parents love that their kids get a delicious lunch in the summer,” said Brooke Becker, Field Coordinator in Nutrition Services at Spokane Public Schools. Spokane served around 110,000 meals through the SFSP during the summer of 2018. Spokane worked with the City of Spokane, the Spokane Public Library, day care centers, and apartment complexes throughout the city to set up summer meal services. They also collaborated with nearby districts like Cheney and Mead to expand their reach.

This federally-funded program may be sponsored by public and private nonprofit schools; residential and non-residential summer camps; nonprofit organizations; tribal organizations; and units of local, county, municipal, and state government. Colleges and universities that participate in the Upward Bound Program also may sponsor meal sites.

In addition to helping ensure kids are fed during the summer, the program also brings economic opportunity to the community, providing 40 part- and full-time jobs.

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 percent of the children are eligible for free or reduced-price school meals or where at least 50 percent of the children enrolled in a specific program (e.g., summer camps) are eligible for free or reduced-price school meals. Once a site has been approved, all children—regardless of family income level—can receive a free meal at the site.

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.

Up to two meals per day per child may be served at each site. Sites serving primarily migrant children and residential camp sites may serve up to three meal types per day per child.

The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) will soon release information regarding training for sponsors interested in participating during summer 2019. Applications will be available mid-spring.

For more information, please contact OSPI’s Child Nutrition Services department at 360-725-6200.

For more information

OSPI’s Summer Food Service Program

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) found online at: http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, and 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: program.intake@usda.gov.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

All students prepared for post-secondary pathways, careers, and civic engagement.

Led by State Superintendent Chris Reykdal, OSPI oversees K-12 public education in Washington state. Our mission is to provide funding, resources, tools, data and technical assistance that enable educators to ensure students succeed in our public schools, are prepared to access post-secondary training and education, and are equipped to thrive in their careers and lives.

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