The Montana Office of Public Instruction is accepting applications for the 2018 Summer Food Service Program from public and private nonprofit schools, as well as local government agencies and private nonprofit organizations that are interested in sponsoring a Summer Food Service Program.
The USDA’s Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) provides free meals to children and teens during the summer months when school is out. The program is federally funded.
"The real problem in Montana is that just one in five kids who regularly rely on free or reduced-price school lunch also eat free SFSP meals during the summer," notes Lorianne Burhop, chief policy officer at the Montana Food Bank Network. "In our surveys around the state, we have found that many families do not know about the Summer Food Service Program or do not realize that it is open to all kids. That’s why outreach for the program is so important. Also, many families live in areas that don’t yet have a site."
Help your community by becoming a sponsor or meal site this year. Summer food sites at schools, community centers, parks, pools, and many other locations can provide nutritious meals to children all summer long.
To qualify as a site, a facility must be located in a neighborhood where at least 50 percent or more of the children in the area are eligible for free or reduced-price meals or must serve primarily low-income children (at least 50 percent of the children must be eligible for free or reduced-price meals).
Summer camps and sites serving primarily migrant children also can participate but under slightly different rules.
Learn more about the Summer Food Service Program by visiting the OPI School Nutrition Programs website or start the application to sponsor a Summer Food Service Program site by calling 406-444-2501.
The deadline for new sponsors to apply for the SFSP is May 4, 2018.