Florida's Summer Break Spot Nutritious Free Meals for kids and teens all summer long!
HOME   |   CONTACT US USDA Summer Food Service Program
Find a Free Summer Food Site Near You
Locations near you
Information for families regarding Florida's Summer Food Service Program
Information for families
Becoming a feeding site or sponsor for SFSP
Become a food site/sponsor
About Florida's Summer Food Service Program
What it is & how it works
How you can help Florida's Summer Food Service Program
Tools/tips for provider success
Issues and Concerns
Issues & concerns
Like Us on Facebook
Join us on Facebook
How Did You Hear About Us?
Zip Code: 

This resource
brought to you by
Florida Impact

Providing Summer Meals To Your  Community
4 WAYS TO PARTICIPATE | ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS

Children in your community do not need to go hungry this summer. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Summer Food Service Program helps fill the hunger gap by paying reimbursements to local public and private non-profits that provide nutritious meals to their communities in the summer months.

Four ways you can participate in Florida's Summer Food Service Program
For full details on the following points, view our Abridged Guide to Starting an Summer Food Service Program.

1. Become A SPONSOR

Sponsors handle the administrative and financial responsibilities for the program. Make an investment in the children in your community. If your organization already provides services to the community, and has capable staff and good management practices to run a food service, you can administer SFSP. Contact Florida Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DACS) at 1-800-504-6609 to be notified about trainings for sponsors.

2. Run A SITE

If you're interested in becoming a site, contact Florida DACS at 1-800-504-6609 for more information on sponsors in your area.

3. Be A VENDOR

Instead of administering or supervising a meal service site, a vendor sells prepared meals under an agreement or a contract with an approved SFSP sponsor. Organizations with kitchens and food service staff, including schools, commercial companies, or public or nonprofit institutions, can participate in SFSP as vendors.

4. VOLUNTEER and Offer Resources

Even if your organization cannot take on the responsibilities of a sponsor or a site, you can team up with a sponsor to provide time, space, resources, financial support, and political voice for existing programs. The following links will give your more information on volunteer ideas:
For Community Members | For Churches
Summer Food Service Program Resource Please see the Abridged Guide to Starting SFSP for more details on these ways to participate.
Summer Food Service Program Resource Steps to Starting Your Own Summer Food Service Program can also provide you with valuable information on plugging in to your local SFSP.
Summer Food Service Program Resource Click to find out where sites already exist in your area.


Answers To Your Questions

(More information is also available at Florida DACS's Q&A page and FRAC's Q&A page)


  1. What is the Summer Food Service Program?
  2. How DACSs the program operate?
  3. Where DACSs the program operate?
  4. Who is eligible to get meals?
  5. How many meals do participants receive each day?
  6. How much reimbursement DACSs the government provide?
  7. How long has the SFSP been in existence?
  8. How much DACSs the program cost?


  1. What is the Summer Food Service Program?

    Just as learning DACSs not end when school lets out, neither DACSs a child's need for good nutrition. The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) provides free, nutritious meals and snacks to help children in low-income areas get the nutrition they need to learn, play, and grow, throughout the summer months when they are out of school.

  2. How DACSs the program operate?

    The Food and Nutrition Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, administers SFSP at the Federal level. State education agencies administer the program in most States. In some areas, the State health or social service department or an FNS regional office may be designated. Locally, SFSP is run by approved sponsors, including school districts, local government agencies, camps, or private nonprofit organizations. Sponsors provide free meals to a group of children at a central site, such as a school or a community center. They receive payments from USDA, through their State agencies, for the meals they serve. 

  3. Where DACSs the program operate?

    States approve SFSP meal sites as open, enrolled, or camp sites. Open sites operate in low-income areas where at least half of the children come from families with incomes at or below 185 percent of the Federal poverty level, making them eligible for free and reduced-price school meals. Meals are served free to any child at the open site. Enrolled sites provide free meals to children enrolled in an activity program at the site where at least half of them are eligible for free and reduced-price meals. Camps may also participate in SFSP. They receive payments only for the meals served to children who are eligible for free and reduced-price meals. 

  4. Who is eligible to get meals?

    Children 18 and younger may receive free meals and snacks through SFSP. Meals and snacks are also available to persons with disabilities, over age 18, who participate in school programs for people who are mentally or physically disabled. 

  5. How many meals do participants receive each day?

    At most sites, children receive either one or two reimbursable meals each day. Camps and sites that primarily serve migrant children may be approved to serve up to three meals to each child, each day.

  6. How much reimbursement DACSs the government provide?

    SFSP reimbursements are now based on the number of reimbursable meals served multiplied by the combined operating and administrative rate for that meal. For summer 2011,the maximum reimbursement rate per meal in most states is:

    • Self Preparation-Rural Sites
      Breakfast: $1.880
      Lunch/supper: $3.2925
      Snack: $.7750

    • Other Types of Sites (Vended-Urban)
      Breakfast: $1.8450
      Lunch/supper: $3.2375
      Snack: $.7575

    Payment rates are higher in Alaska and Hawaii to reflect the higher cost of providing meals in those States.

  7. How long has the SFSP been in existence?

    SFSP was first created as part of a larger pilot program in 1968. It became a separate program in 1975. By 1980, 1.9 million children were participating. Participation dropped to 1.5 million in 1985, and grew to 1.7 million again by 1990. Almost 2 million children participated at almost 31,000 sites in the summer of 2005.

  8. How much DACSs the program cost?

    Congress appropriated $357.9 million for SFSP in FY 2009 and $312.2 million for the Program in FY 2008.  By comparison, the program cost $110.1 million in 1980; $163.3 million in 1990; $267.2 million in 2000; and $327.4 million in 2008.


For More Information:

To learn more about SFSP in Florida, contact Florida DACS at 1-800-504-6609.

You may also contact the USDA Food and Nutrition Service Public Information Staff at 703-305-2286, or by mail at 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 640, Alexandria, Virginia 22302.