The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) is seeking sponsors for the 2016 Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). The SFSP, a federally funded child nutrition program, was established to ensure that children in lower-income areas would continue to receive nutritious meals during long school vacations, when they do not have access to school meals.

Sponsorship is open to public and private nonprofit schools, residential and non-residential summer camps, private nonprofit organizations, tribal organizations, and units of local, county, municipal, and state government. Colleges and universities that participate in the Upward Bound Program may also sponsor meal sites.

Eligible sponsors are those who operate a non-profit meal program during the summer for children age 18 and younger. Meal sites must be located in areas where at least 50 percent of the children are qualified for free or reduced-price school meals or where at least 50 percent of the children enrolled in a specific program are eligible for free and reduced-price school meals. All children—regardless of family income level—can receive a free meal at a site once the site has been approved.

Meals must meet the USDA meal pattern requirements. Sponsors may prepare their own meals or purchase them from a school district or food service management company. Sponsors are reimbursed for eligible meals served.

Up to two meal types per day per child may be served at each site. This may be a breakfast, breakfast and snack, breakfast and lunch, breakfast and supper, lunch, lunch and snack, snack, AM and PM snacks, supper, or supper and snack. Sites serving primarily migrant children and residential camp sites may serve as many as three meal types per day per child.

Interested organizations are encouraged to register for training at the SFSP website, which will take place in April and May and is a requirement for participation. Applications will be available online mid-spring.

Contact OSPI at 360-725-6202 for more information.