Last year, the program provided more 1,677,000 meals to over 37,000 eligible children at 641 locations statewide.

 

The Summer Food Service Program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and serves as the summer extension of the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, in order to provide meals for children during summer when families do not have access to school meals.

 

Local Summer Food Service Program sponsors may include public or private nonprofit school food authorities; state, local, municipal or county governments; residential public or private nonprofit summer camps; public or private nonprofit colleges or universities participating in the National Youth Sports Program; and private nonprofit organizations.  Any one of these groups or organizations able to verify that at least half the children in their potential service area qualify for free or reduced-price school meals may apply to be a sponsor.

 

The CSDE has identified several communities with neighborhoods eligible to host a Summer Food Service Program site.  Eligible neighborhoods are those where at least 50 percent or more of the income levels of families in the area are at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty guidelines.  Additional qualified local organizations are especially needed in these municipalities: Bristol, Chaplin, East Windsor, Enfield, Fairfield, Griswold, Hamden, Plymouth, Shelton, Sprague and Wallingford.

 

All sponsors must agree to serve meals to any eligible child regardless of his or her race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. Summer Food Service Program sponsors are reimbursed according to predetermined U.S. Department of Agriculture reimbursement rates.  Meals must comply with federal nutrition standards.

 

Applications for program participation and further information are available through the Connecticut State

Department of Education, Bureau of Health/Nutrition, Family Services and Adult Education, 450 Columbus Blvd., Suite 504, Hartford, CT 06103.  Additional information on the Summer Food Service Program can be found at: https://portal.ct.gov/SDE/Nutrition/Summer-Food-Service-Program.

 

Individuals looking to access summer meals can look for Summer Meal Locations as the school year ends by contacting 2-1-1 Connecticut or End Hunger CT!'s Summer Food Site Finder at www.CTSummerMeals.org.

 

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Media Contact: Peter Yazbak

Director of Communications

Connecticut State Department of Education

Phone: 860-713-6528

Mobile: 860-471-3518

E-mail: Peter.Yazbak@ct.gov

 

Applicant Contact: Caroline Cooke

Bureau of Health/Nutrition, Family Services and Adult Education

Connecticut State Department of Education

Phone: 860-807-2144

E-mail: Caroline.Cooke@ct.gov

 

 

 

The Connecticut State Department of Education is an equal opportunity employer.
NEWS RELEASE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
FOOD SERVICE MANAGEMENT COMPANY REGISTRATION FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM

This release serves as notification concerning the mandatory registration requirement of food service management companies that must be met in order to participate in the 2019 Summer Food Service Program in Connecticut.  Sponsors of the Summer Food Service Program may contract only with food service management companies that have registered with the Connecticut State Department of Education.

On or before March 29, 2019, each food service management company that desires to provide meals to a sponsoring organization must submit an application or renewal for registration to the Connecticut State Department of Education. The application form for registration can be requested by contacting Andrew Paul at 860-807-2048 or Andrew.Paul@ct.gov.