Summer Food Program

(Falkenstein)

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
Nothing is going to get better. It's not.” (Seuss)

 

     In recent studies, it has been found that 29,000 children in the state of Vermont are eligible for subsidized breakfast and lunches, at their school. Out of that twenty-nine thousand, only 5,000 can take advantage of a Summer Food Program. (Keese) We can change this; all we have to do is try, if we do not try, we will not succeed, and many children will go hungry! If we gather as a community, we can make a difference, in the lives of many children.

“Just as learning does not end when school lets out, neither does the need for good nutrition. Congress created the Summer Food Service Program for Children (SFSP) in 1968 out of concern for those children who depend on free and reduced-price school meals during the school year. The SFSP is administered nationally by the U. S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service and within Vermont by the Department of Education's Child Nutrition Programs. Children ages 18 and under are eligible to participate in the Summer Food Service Program.” (S. o.-D. Education)

“Once a school, agency, or organization has decided to become a Summer Food Service Program sponsor, the Vermont Department of Education Child Nutrition Programs can provide handbooks containing more detailed information about the operation of the program. In addition, any required forms, sample documents, and forms to streamline and organize recordkeeping will be provided.” (S. o.-D. Education)

For more information, please check out this link, Summer Food Program Guide.

     This food program is just as important as any other’s are, if not more so, as to where, most children who are receive free/reduced lunches, acquire most of their nutrition from the school breakfast and lunch program.

     Have you ever wondered what those children do in the summer time, for meals, without their most readily available food source? If not, maybe you should.

“The ability to learn and potential for growth are severely affected by poor or insufficient dietary intake. Since studies have shown that most low-income children receive a large share of their nutrient intake from school food programs, the unavailability of regular school meals during the summer can cause a decline in overall health and learning ability that lasts far beyond the vacation months.” (V. D. Education)

     If you are interested in becoming a sponsor for this program, at the local level, you need to get a Sponsoring Entity (to head up the program), and the SFSP (Summer Food Program Service) will reimburse you (an approved sponsor,) if the meals you serve meet with Federal nutritional guidelines. (V. D. Education) “Sponsors receive payments from USDA through the State Agency, based on the number of meals they served to eligible children.” (V. D. Education)


There are four different types of “entities,” in which can sponsor you:
 

· Public or private non-profit schools

· Units of local, municipal, county, tribal, or state government

· Private, non-profit organizations

· Public or private non-profit camps

“Only organizations that are fully capable of managing a food service program can be approved as sponsors because the sponsor is fully responsible for the operation of the Summer Food Service Program, financially and administratively.” (V. D. Education)

Here are a couple of chart, with the description of the sites, who would have permission to run, the Summer Food Program: (V. D. Education)

Vermont Department of Education The site is considered:	If these conditions exist in the site area:	The sponsor receives reim- bursement for:
Open Site At least half of the children enrolled in a school are eligible for free and reduced-price school meals OR	The area in which the site is located is documented as a low-income area based on approved census tract data.	Program meals served to all attending children 18 and under.
Closed Enrolled Site	At least half the children enrolled at the site meet USDA established eligibility criteria based on free and reduced price application information. Activities may or may not be offered.	Program meals served to all enrolled children 18 and under in attendance, regardless of individual eligibility. Meals served to adults.
Homeless Site	A site operated by an organization whose primary purpose is to provide shelter and one or more meal services to homeless families.	Program meals served to all attending children 18 and under.
Residential Camp	Residential camps that offer a regularly scheduled food service as part of an organized program for children enrolled at the camp.	Meals served to campers 18 and under who have been individually determined to be eligible for free meals. Meals served to adults.
Day Camp Sites at which a continuous schedule of organized cultural or recreational programs are provided between meal services and: • Less than 50% of the enrollment is eligible for free or reduced price school meals And/or	• Programs and enrollment change on a regular basis (e.g., every week or every two weeks.)	Meals served to campers 18 and under who have been individually determined to be eligible for free meals. Meals served to adults.

If you have any children who are under the age of 18, and your income is within the limit, (on the following chart,) your child(ren) would be eligible for the summer food program.

Size	Yearly	Monthly	Twice Per Month	Every Two Weeks	Weekly
1	20,036	1,670	835	771	386
2	26,955	2,247	1,124	1,037	519
3	33,874	2,823	1,412	1,303	652
4	40,793	3,340	1,700	1,569	785
5	47,712	3,976	1,988	1,836	918
6	54,631	4,553	2,277	2,102	1,051
7	61,550	5,130	2,565	2,368	1,154
8	68,469	5,706	2,853	2,634	1,317
For Each Additional Household Member add	6,919	577	289	267	134

                                       (Lewis)

For information regarding a Comparison of Summer Food Program Options for SFAs, Seamless Summer Option (SSO), and “Simplified Traditional” Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) please refer to this link, Comparison of Summer Food Options.


     If you are looking for information on the 2010 Reimbursement Rates, make sure to visit 2010 Reimbursement Rates.

     If you are looking for even more information still, there are handbooks for Administrative Guidance for Sponsors, Site Supervisor’s Guide (in English and Spanish,) Site Supervisor’s Pocket Reference Guide (in English and Spanish,) Monitor’s Guide, and Nutrition Guidance for Sponsors. They are offered in both pdf. and doc. format, go to this link, Handbooks, for the links to these guides. (USDA)


The best person to reach for any information on the Summer Food Programs is:

Nancy Lewis, Education Consultant,  

(802) 828-5155 (P)

(802) 828-0573 (F)

nancy.lewis@state.vt.us

 

Here are the links that were used in reference to this post:

Education, State of Vermont - Department of. PROGRAMS & SERVICES: CHILD NUTRITION: SCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAMS: SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAMS (SFSP) . 29 April 2010. 26 January 2011
http://www.education.vermont.gov/new/html/pgm_nutrition/summer_programs.html

Education, Vermont Department of. "Orientation & Organization Guide." December 2009. Vermont Department of Education. 26 January 2011 http://www.education.vermont.gov/new/pdfdoc/pgm_nutrition/summer_programs/educ_nutrition_summer_guide_non-residential.pdf

Falkenstein, Drew. "Food Poison Journal." 10 February 2010. USA Today Reports Sweeping Changes in Beef Acquisition for School Lunches . 26 January 2011 http://www.foodpoisonjournal.com/tags/food-poisoning/

Keese, Susan. Vermont Public Radio. 16 August 2010. 26 January 2011 http://www.vpr.net/news_detail/88642/

Lewis, Nancy. "Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) Income Eligibility Guidelines for 2010." 26 January 2010. Vermont Department of Education. 26 January 2011 http://www.education.vermont.gov/new/pdfdoc/dept/press_releases/educ_pr_sfsp_income_guidelines_10_0126.pdf

Seuss, Dr. "Dr. Seuss Quotes." April 2010. Quotes By. 26 January 2011 http://www.quotesby.co.uk/celebrities/dr_seuss-c74373/


USDA. "Summer Food Service Programs, Handbooks." 18 March 2010. USDA Food and Nutrition Services. 26 January 2011 http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/summer/library/handbooks.html