The Summer Food Service Program, otherwise known as SFSP, is a US Department of Agriculture funded program designed to help feed children in low-income areas during the summer months when they can’t get school provided breakfast and lunch meals. Run under the Food and Nutrition Service agency of the USDA, SFSP is available in states through approved sponsors. These can include churches, community centers, schools, and other nonprofit organizations. In 2019, SFSP was responsible for about 1.2 million snacks and meals distributed to children, but that number drastically increased in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic. In just one year, the program increased its number of meals distributed from 1.2 million to about 4.3 million. The pandemic affected many families’ ability to provide adequate and nutritional snacks and meals to their children, which placed a much heavier emphasis on the importance of SFSP sites around the country.



While the SFSP is federally funded, each state is responsible for the sponsorship of SFSP open, enrolled, or camp sites. Because there are so many kinds of sites available, parents can rest assured that their children can still access free or discounted meals regardless of their summer plans or economic status. It’s important to know the general qualifications of these different sites, as each type has their own guidelines.

According to No Kid Hungry Louisiana, open sites are deemed “open” specifically because of their physical location. Locations are “open” if at least half of the children in that area are eligible for free or reduced-price school meals, which is determined by census and other data tracking. Enrolled sites are those that are connected to some type of enrichment activity program (such as a church or school program), and camp sites are connected to a residential or day camp program that offer regularly scheduled food services. Open and enrolled sites can distribute food to all children at no cost, while camp sites usually offer only eligible children no-cost meals.

The usual site restrictions were waived due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All areas of a state are now allowed free food distribution through the SFSP. Any child under the age of 18 is eligible for free meals and snacks through the SFSP, regardless of socio-economic status or physical location.

There are many ways you can support the children in your area through the SFSP. If you are already part of an organization that has the resources to manage food distribution, you can become a sponsor of the SFSP in your state. The USDA reimburses approved sponsors based on the number of meals they provide, meaning that the meals are essentially free for both the children receiving the meals and the sponsors providing them.

If you can’t sponsor, you can always host a site or become a vendor for a site or organization. Some SFSP sites may not have full kitchen capabilities available to them, so they must find alternative means of providing their children food. Sponsors can use your physical location as an SFSP site if they don’t have an area of their own to distribute meals, or they can sign you on as a meal vendor – meaning that you sell SFSP sites your preprepared meals, and they oversee the distribution of the meals you provide.

The summer months can be difficult for families struggling to provide their children with nutritious meals. The SFSP is an incredible resource for parents to utilize, especially in the wake of the pandemic. Find a site near you, and rest easy knowing your children can eat well in those liminal summer months.