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The Summer Food Service Program
| More than 21,000 Vermont children are living in food-insecure households and are at risk of hunger. For many of these children, the only nutritious meal of the day is served in school. When Vermont's schools close in June, many children lose their most important source of balanced meals. By the time school opens in the fall, they have fallen behind—both nutritionally and developmentally. In order to reverse this unfortunate trend, the Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger (VTCECH) created the Summer Meal and Enrichment Program, which helps communities establish programs that provide nutritious meals and age-appropriate, educational and recreational activities. |
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The federally funded Summer Food Service Program provides nutritious meals to low-income children ages 1 through 18 when school is not in session. The program can be offered by schools, churches, hospitals, towns, camps, or private nonprofit organizations, which can apply to receive reimbursement for meals they serve to eligible children. Depending on the site, breakfast, lunch or a snack may be offered. Most sites also offer a variety of enrichment and recreational activities.
VTCECH provides outreach and technical assistance to help communities establish and expand Summer Food Service Programs. We facilitate local groups to address the community's needs and identify partners to implement local programs, assist with the guidelines and application process for the federal requirements of the program, and help secure funding for site-specific needs. Our ultimate goal is to have summer programs become self-sufficient, community-led, and sustainable, and therefore, feed more children.
To learn more about our summer meal programs, contact VTCECH’s Summer Meal Program Coordinator, Sarah Kunz. |
