Summer Food Supports Nebraska Families
Empty classrooms should not mean empty stomachs
The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) supports healthy eating for kids during the summer. The program offers all kids aged one to 18 a free meal in a high-needs location that is supervised, safe, and welcoming. Organizations, camps, agencies, school districts, or other groups can be sponsors through the SFSP, serving meals at service sites and receiving federal reimbursement. This program feeds thousands of children across Nebraska who may be without consistent meals during the summer.
We Want to Support Your Efforts!
Nebraska Appleseed is partnering with the NDE Nutrition Services to offer $150 mini-grants to 15 Nebraska districts to implement SFSP Equity Best Practices this summer! Extend hours, days of service, host activities, use COVID-19 precautions or more and support equity while you do it. See below for details and to sign up by Friday, May 20, 2022.
- Download the list of equity best practices here.
- If you are interested in signing up to participate, fill out this brief commitment form.
Find a summer FOOD Site near you
The SFSP is open to all kids ages one to 18 during the summer months (and when schools are closed unexpectedly). Use the tools below to find a Summer Food site near you.
Text “Food” or “Comida” to 304-304
During summer, Nebraska Appleseed’s national partner No Kid Hungry hosts a text line to help families find summer meals: Text “FOOD” or “COMIDA” to 304-304 to get referred to the 3 closest meal sites open near you.
USDA’S MEALS FOR KIDS SITE FINDER
The USDA’s Meals 4 Kids map shares SFSP site information from across the US during summer.
Resources for Current SFSP Sponsors
Grant Opportunities
- Nebraska’s Go Big Breakfast Coalition is keeping track of school nutrition grant opportunities, potentially including those for SFSP.
- Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) Summer Equipment Grants (up to $15,000!) The NDE accepts applications for the SFSP Expansion Grants each year from mid-January to the end of February. This is an excellent opportunity to expand your organization’s reach and engage more participants. The grant is available annually and you can apply each year!
NEBRASKA SFSP BEST PRACTICE TOOLKIT & SPONSOR OUTREACH TOOLKIT 2021
Nebraska Appleseed surveyed and interviewed Nebraska sponsors and analyzed state data to create a Nebraska SFSP Best Practices Toolkit in 2020. Most are still applicable with COVID.
- Watch webinars, Activities on-site and building community partnerships and menu planning and advertising.
- Use templates from this digital 2022 SFSP Sponsor Outreach Toolkit to spread the word about your site.
Federal COVID-19 Child Nutrition Waiver Implementation: Best Practices
This report covers federal changes that have allowed schools to continue feeding students during COVID-19, implementation methods from KS, IA, CO, and NE, and policy recommendations to support more kids eating at school.
Resources for Potential SFSP Sponsors
Becoming an SFSP sponsor can support an organization’s mission and bottom line. Find resources for potential Nebraska SFSP sponsors below at NDE’s SFSP webpage. Find answers to some common concerns from new SFSP sponsors like school districts, nonprofits, churches, and libraries.