The USDA Requires ALL School Nutrition Sponsors to Conduct Summer Meals Outreach
Schools communicate regularly and effectively with the families of children in their community. You can help reach out and connect these families with Summer Meals before the school year ends and continue to make a difference in the lives of your students all summer long. The USDA requires every sponsor (public, charter, private, RCCI) participating in the National School Lunch Program to provide information to their community on the availability of Summer Meals, even if they are not a sponsor or site for Summer Meals.
Childhood food insecurity remains at unacceptable levels across the country and children are most acutely at risk in the summer when they do not have access to school meals. There were 689 sites in the summer of 2017 across Connecticut offering free meals to children 18 years and younger, yet only 1 out of 4 of CT’s children who access school meals are accessing Free Summer Meals.
PLEASE NOTE: Even if you do not have a Summer Meals program in your town, children ages 18 and younger may visit Open Summer Meals sites anywhere in the state to receive a meal. There is no application, identification or commitment to participate in Summer Meals. Take the time to share this valuable information with the families in your community.
Child Nutrition Programs
Connecticut State Department of Education
Office of Student Supports and Organizational Effectiveness
Bureau of Health/Nutrition, Family Services and Adult Education
http://portal.ct.gov/SDE/Nutrition/School-Nutrition-Programs