Kids across Nebraska have great opportunities to find healthy, nutritious meals this summer through our state’s summer nutrition programs! Families can make use of any single option or utilize all three! Find descriptions of these classic, recent, and brand new child nutrition opportunities and help spread the word in your networks with the included resources:
CLASSIC: Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)
For over 50 years, SFSP has offered kids ages one to 18 free meals in high-needs locations that are supervised, safe, and welcoming. 300 sites sponsored by school districts, organizations, camps, agencies, or other groups serve SFSP meals in Nebraska. Find active sites by texting “FOOD” or “COMIDA” to 304-304 or visiting the USDA’s Meal for Kids site finder map.
Nebraska has active SFSP sites from around June – August of each year. The most impactful outreach will happen between late May and mid-July. Use Appleseed’s 1-Page SFSP Outreach Toolkit to help get the word out!
RECENT: SFSP Rural Non-Congregate (RNC, ie. Grab and Go & Delivery)
Since 2023, approved rural SFSP sponsors can use alternate service models such as grab and go, curbside, drive thru, walk up, or delivery to serve individual or multi-day meals to children in eligible areas. These models are similar to options available during the pandemic.
This program has grown in Nebraska from eight sponsors in summer 2023 to over 23 in summer 2024! Service dates and times vary by site and important information can be found by visiting the USDA’s Meal for Kids site finder map.
Use Appleseed’s 1-Page SFSP Outreach Toolkit to help get the word out about RNC!
BRAND NEW: Summer EBT
Nebraska will be participating in Summer EBT for Summer 2024! Eligible children will automatically receive an EBT card loaded with $120 ($40 per summer month) that families can use to purchase food at local retailers. Visit the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services’ (DHHS) Summer EBT webpage to learn more about eligibility, updating your address, card activation, and more.
Share DHHS’s Summer EBT flyer or use Appleeseed’s SFSP outreach toolkit (including social media templates in English and Spanish) to help get the word out!
It took unprecedented engagement from Nebraskans all across the state to convince our state leaders to participate in all available summer nutrition programs (YAY!). Will you commit to spreading the word to get as many kids as possible the food resources they need this summer?
Please let us know if you have questions and thank you for sharing!