Summer Food Service Program for Children (SFSP)

Amy Schiller

Meghan Sears

What is SFSP?

• SFSP is a federally funded, state-administered program

created by the Food and Nutrition Service of the USDA

• SFSP reimburses sponsors of sites that provide healthy

meals and snacks to children 18 and under in low-income

areas during periods when school is not in session.

• SFSP approves sites that are sponsored by certain types

of organizations, typically non-profit organizations,

government agencies, schools, camps, and churches.

What is SFSP?

• The sites are usually in parks, schools, churches,

camps, community centers, or other safe, supervised

locations.

• Sites are most commonly located in areas where at

least 50% of the children are eligible for free or

reduced price school meals. The sites also usually

offer music, sports, crafts, tutoring, or other

activities.

History

• 1968: Special Food Service Program was created,

which included summer meals for children

• 1975: Summer Food Service Program was made

into its own program, and served over 1.75

million children at 12,000 sites in its first year

• 2012: SFSP served over 2.28 million children at

39,000 sites

Legislation

• 1977: Public Law 95-166

• 1979: Public Law 96-108

• 1981: Public Law 97-35 (Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981)

• 1986: Public Laws 99-500 and 99-591

• 1989: Public Law 101-147 (Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization

Act of 1989)

• 1994: Public Law 103-448 (Healthy Meals for Healthy Americans Act)

• 1996: Public Law 104-193 (Personal Responsibility and Work

Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996)

Legislation• 1998: Public Law 105-336 (William F. Goodling Child Nutrition

Reauthorization Act of 1998)

• 2001: Public Law 106-554 (Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2001)

• 2004: Public Law 108-265 (Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization

Act of 2004)

• 2007: Public Law 110-161 (Section 738 of the Consolidated

Appropriations Act, 2008)

• 2009: Public Law 111-80 (Agriculture Appropriations Act)

• 2010: Public Law 111-296 (Section 103 of the Healthy, Hunger-Free

Kids Act of 2010)

Eligibility

• All children 18 and under in areas where

at least 50% of children are eligible for

free or reduced price school meals

• Individuals of any age with disabilities if

they participate in a school program

Eligibility

• Public or Private Non-Profit School Food Authority

• Public or Private Non-Profit Residential Camp

• Public or private non-profit college or university

participating in the National Youth Sports Program

• A unit of local, county, municipal, State or Federal

Government

• Any other type of Non-Profit organization

Entitlement

• Yes!

Participation• SFSP is one of the most underutilized federal nutrition assistance programs

• National

– Of the 21 million eligible children, only 2.41 million participated during Fiscal Year

2013 (~11.5%.)

– In 2013, SFSP provided meals to more than 2.4 million children each day at 42,654

sites during the program's peak month of July. SFSP served about 151 million

meals and snacks at a cost to USDA of $427.6 million.

– Peak participation occurred during July 2001, and was only ~14% of eligible

children

• West Virginia

– 2010: total eligible: 164,00 actual participants: 17,000 eligible non-participants:

147,000 participation rate: 10.35%

Budget

• National

– 1980: $110.1 million

– 1990: $163.3 million

– 2000: $267.2 million

– 2008: $327.4 million

– 2012: $398 million

– 2013: $427.6 million

Target Population

• Children 18 and under in low-income

areas

• Individuals of any age with

disabilities who participate in a

school program

Key Nutrients• No specific nutrients were highlighted, but there are required meal

patterns that sites must follow:

– Breakfast

• Must contain 1 milk, 1 grain/bread, and 1 fruit/vegetable

– Lunch/Dinner

• Must contain 1 milk, 1 grain/bread, 2 fruits/vegetables, and 1 meat/meat alternative

– Snacks

• Must contain 2 of the four components

• Juices must be 100% juice, grains must be whole grains or enriched, nuts

and seeds may only be half of the meat/meat alternative serving and must

be combined with another option to meet the requirement

• Meals must be eaten at the site, but in some cases, children may take one

food item home

Form of Assistance• Sponsors are reimbursed by the USDA through the state agency for the costs of eligible meals served

at sites.

• Reimbursement rates cover the cost of food and other expenses to operate the program, such as

labor, transportation, other supplies, and other allowable expenses.

• Sponsors may choose to prepare their own meals at the site, or they may purchase meals from

vendors.

• Camps are only reimbursed for the meals provided to children eligible for free or reduced price school

meals

• Summer 2014 reimbursement rates:

• Breakfast

– Rural/Self-Prep: $2.0225

– Urban/Vended: $1.985

• Lunch/Supper

– Rural/Self-Prep: $3.545

– Urban/Vended: $3.4875

• Snack

– Rural/Self-Prep: $0.84

– Urban/Vended: $0.8225

Rationale

• Many low-income children and families depend on

school for one or two meals everyday during the

school year.

• When school is not in session, these children may

be at risk of hunger.

• SFSP was created to help provide these children

with healthy food all year long in the hopes of

better performance when school is in session.

Goals & Outcomes

• Since it is one of the most underutilized food

assistance programs, a major goal is to increase

awareness of the program and increase attendance

• Recruit more sponsors and sites

• Fill the nutrition gap during the summer months for

children from low income families

• Help families stretch food budgets over the

summer

Funding & Administration

Funder

USDA

Administrator

Federally- Food and Nutrition Service (FNS)

State- education agencies (in most states)

Access & Enrollment

• To find a site:

– Visit:

http://www.fns.usda.gov/summerfoodroc

ks

– Call: 1-866-3-HUNGRY

• To become a sponsor:

– West Virginia

NSLP, CACFP, SFSPState DirectorOffice of

Child Nutrition Department of Education

1900 Kanawha BoulevardBuilding 6, Roo

m 248Charleston, WV 25305-0330Phone:

304-558-2708Fax: 304-558-1149

Websites

• http://www.fns.usda.gov/sfsp/summer-food-service-program-sfsp

• http://www.fns.usda.gov/summerfoodrocks

• http://wvde.state.wv.us/child-nutrition/sfsp/reimbursement-rates.html

• http://wvde.state.wv.us/nutrition/sfsp

• http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/sfsp/SFSP-Fact-Sheet.pdf

• http://www.fns.usda.gov/sfsp/frequently-asked-questions-faqs

• http://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/child-nutrition-progr

ams/summer-

food-service-program.aspx#.VCnWqFa0Zg0

• http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/SFSP-rates-West_Virginia.pdf

• http://www.fns.usda.gov/sfsp/program-history