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Welcome to the Summer Food Service Program

Introduction

This publication is an important reference designed to provide guidance for staff of all local organizations participating or planning to participate as sponsors in the Summer Food Service Program for Children (SFSP) during school vacation periods. The SFSP primarily operates during the summer months, May to September, when schools in most areas are closed; it may also provide meals during vacation breaks where schools are operated on a year-round continuous school calendar.

The SFSP is funded nationally by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), and administered by the Florida Department of Education, Food and Nutrition Management. The program is operated locally by approved public or private nonprofit sponsoring organizations under annual program agreements with the Florida Department of Education. Sponsors receive federal reimbursement from the Florida Department of Education to cover their administrative and operating costs of preparing and serving free meals that meet SFSP meal patterns to eligible children at one or more food service sites.

The SFSP was established to ensure that children in needy areas could continue to receive nutritious meals during school vacations that are comparable to those served under the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs during the school year. Free meals are provided to all children at approved SFSP open or enrolled sites in areas with significant concentrations of low-income children. Current law defines such an area as one in which one half or more of the children are from households with income at or below the eligibility level for free and reduced price school meals,185 percent of the federal poverty guideline. While residential and nonresidential camps may participate regardless of their location, only meals served to enrolled campers who are individually determined to be eligible for free or reduced price school meals are reimbursable.