Press Releases
02/03/2023
Connecticut State Department of Education Announces Participation in Summer Meal Programs
Sponsoring Organizations Provide Nutritious Meals to Connecticut’s Children
(HARTFORD, CT) – The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) has begun work with organizations interested in providing meals through the 2023 Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).
In a typical summer, the program distributes more than 1.75 million meals to over 37,000 children aged 18 years and younger, at 650-700 locations statewide.
The SFSP is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and serves as the summer extension of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) to provide meals for children during summer when households do not have access to school meals.
Local SFSP 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 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 SFSP sponsor.
The CSDE staff is prepared to work with sponsoring organizations and community partners to identify locations eligible to host a SFSP site. Eligible communities or neighborhoods are those where the income level of 50 percent or more of households with children are at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty guidelines.
All sponsors must agree to serve meals to any eligible child regardless of their race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), age, or disability. SFSP sponsors are reimbursed according to predetermined USDA rates. Meals must comply with federal nutrition standards.
Further information about program participation is available through the CSDE Bureau of Health/Nutrition, Family Services and Adult Education, 450 Columbus Boulevard, Suite 504, Hartford, CT 06103. For additional information on the SFSP, visit https://portal.ct.gov/SDE/Nutrition/Summer-Food-Service-Program.
Individuals who would like to access summer meals can look for Summer Meals locations as the school year ends by contacting 2-1-1 of Connecticut or End Hunger CT!'s Summer Meals Site Finder at: www.CTSummer Meals.org.
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Contact: Eric Scoville
Connecticut State Department of Education
Eric.Scoville@ct.gov
860-424-1988 (cell)
Program Contact: Caroline Cooke
Bureau of Health/Nutrition, Family Services and Adult Education
Connecticut State Department of Education
E-mail: Caroline.Cooke@ct.gov
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
- mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or - fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
- email: program.intake@usda.gov
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
The Connecticut State Department of Education is an equal opportunity employer.
State Department of Education Seeking Foodservice Management Companies to Register as Summer Meals Vendors
This release serves as notification of the mandatory registration of food service management companies to participate in the 2023 Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) in Connecticut. Sponsors of the SFSP may only contract with food service management companies that have registered with the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE).
On or before February 17, 2023, each food service management company that desires to provide meals to a sponsoring organization must submit an application or renewal for registration to the CSDE. The application form for registration can be requested by contacting Andrew Paul at 860-807-2048 or andrew.paul@ct.gov.
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
1. mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
2. fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
3. email: program.intake@usda.gov
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
The Connecticut State Department of Education is an equal opportunity employer.
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- Facebook: CT State Department of Education Facebook