While Hutchinson and Glencoe have had summer lunch programs during past years, the Minnesota Department of Education is looking for more eligible schools and organizations to sponsor the Summer Food Service Program and provide free meals to Minnesota children age 18 or younger during the summer.
"Nutrition is one key to academic success," said Mary Cathryn Ricker, Minnesota Department of Education commissioner. "The Summer Food Service Program provides our students the opportunity to come together in locations across the state for lunch, often paired with fun summer learning opportunities. I'm grateful for a state full of community partners who work with us to serve meals to our students over the summer so they return to school in the fall ready to learn."
There are many low-income areas in Minnesota that are underserved and in need of a sponsor to operate a summer feeding site, especially in Greater Minnesota. MDE provides sponsors with program training, on-site technical assistance and meal reimbursement funding for providing meals to children in areas of economic need.
In Hutchinson, program sites were at Park Elementary and the middle school. They can also be at recreation and community centers, parks, family housing complexes and other locations operated by youth, cultural and faith-based organizations.
STATEWIDE PARTICIPATION
Last summer in Minnesota, more than 220 schools and organizations operated more than 1,000 SFSP meal sites and served more than 3.6 million meals. The summer meals program reaches 19 percent of children from low-income families that normally receive free or reduced-price meals during the school year. MDE is looking to continue growing the program so all eligible children have access to meals during the summer months.
A sponsoring organization must be one of the following:
- a public or private nonprofit school food authority;
- a public or private nonprofit college or university;
- a public or private nonprofit residential summer camp;
- a unit of local, county, municipal, state or federal government; or
- any other type of private nonprofit organization.
THERE'S AN APP FOR THAT
Come summertime, free, nutritious meals for kids can be as easy as a click away. The app, called Summer Eats Minnesota, is free at the Apple Store and the Google Play Store. Powered by GPS, it shows summer food sites, typical menus and days/hours of operation. Youth age 18 or younger can show up without prior registration for free meals at these open sites. Learn more about the app at summereats.mn.org.
Organizations interested in being a new sponsor or becoming a program site under an existing sponsor should call MDE's Food and Nutrition Service at 651-582-8526 or 800-366-8922, or email mde.fns@state.mn.us. More information about the summer food program is also available at mde.fns@state.mn.us.
