Summer Food Programs

During the summer months when kids are out of school, several food programs are available to help ensure children have access to nutritious meals:

• Summer Food Service Program (SFSP): This federally funded program is the main initiative for providing free meals and snacks to children and teens 18 and under.  Meals are served at various locations like schools, parks, libraries, and community centers.

• School Breakfast and Lunch Programs: Some schools continue to offer free or reduced-price meals during the summer through the SFSP. You can check with your local school district to see if they participate in this extended program.

• Summer EBT: This program, offered in some states, issues additional benefits to SNAP recipients during the summer months to help offset the increased cost of food when school meals aren’t available.

• Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP): This program reimburses childcare providers who serve nutritious meals and snacks to children in their care. This can be an option for families who utilize childcare during the summer.

Finding Summer Meals:

• Use the national Summer Meal Site Locator on the USDA website (https://www.fns.usda.gov/summer/sitefinder) to find meal sites in your area.

• Contact your local Hunger Hotline (https://www.fns.usda.gov/national-hunger-hotline) for assistance finding summer meal programs near you.