COMMISSIONER MILLER ASKS ORGANIZATIONS TO SPONSOR 2023 SUMMER NUTRITION PROGRAMS (1/31/2023)

Approved agencies and organizations will be reimbursed with federal funds for feeding Texas children during the summer break. 

AUSTIN — Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller today announced the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) is accepting applications for its 2023 Summer Meal Programs. These programs connect eligible agencies and organizations with federal funds to provide healthy meals for Texas children who may not always have access to good nutrition when school cafeterias are closed for summer.

“Eligible organizations can join me in building a healthier future for Texas by sponsoring the Summer Meal Programs in their communities,” Commissioner Miller said. “All Texas children need nutritious meals all year long - not just during the school year. In partnership with TDA, these sponsors will strengthen Texas communities by providing the nutrition kids need for an active, healthy summer. Most important, these meals will help prepare young Texans to succeed in the classroom when school is back in session.”

TDA works to address childhood hunger during the summer by partnering with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to administer two federally funded Summer Meal Programs. The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) provides schools, nonprofit summer camps, governmental entities, and other nonprofit organizations with the opportunity to serve meals to children across Texas. Schools have the option of participating in the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) or SFSP, allowing them to continue meal service after the academic year ends.

TDA is seeking to partner with sponsoring organizations to serve meals across the state in areas of need, including rural areas, areas with a concentration of migrant workers, and areas where more than 50 percent of children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals in the National School Lunch Program. Meals will be provided to individuals aged 18 and under without charge. Adults over the age of 18 are eligible for summer meals if they are determined by a state educational agency or local public educational agency to have a mental or physical disability and who participate in a public or nonprofit private school program established for people with mental or physical disabilities.

All meal sites must be sponsored by an organization that has a contract with TDA. Approved SSO and SFSP sponsors, operating in accordance with federal and state regulations, will be reimbursed for meals served to children. All new sponsors are required to take training courses before participating in SFSP. Some applications may require additional review, and sponsors are encouraged to visit SquareMeals.org to determine if their organization falls into this category. The SFSP application deadline for new sponsors and those requiring more thorough review is April 15, 2023. All other returning SFSP sponsors must apply by May 1, 2023. The deadline for all SSO applications is May 31, 2023. TDA will provide guidance to sponsors currently operating and those that plan to apply to operate one of the summer nutrition programs as soon as more information is available.

For more information about TDA’s Summer Meal Programs, please visit www.SquareMeals.org.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.