Program Description
The Summer Food Service Program is a federally assisted meal program that provides free, nutritious meals and snacks to help children in low-income areas get the nutrition they need throughout the summer months when they are out of school. Sponsors provide free meals to a group of children at a central site, such as a school, park, low-income housing complex, community center, or camp. They receive reimbursement from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for each meal and snack served. Sponsors may also receive donated commodities from the USDA.
General Program Requirements
The Montana Office of Public Instruction School Nutrition Programs approves Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) meal sites as open, enrolled, or camp sites. Open sites operate in low-income areas where at least half of the children come from families with incomes at or below 185 percent of the Federal poverty level, making them eligible for free and reduced-price school meals. Meals are served free to any child at the open site. Enrolled sites provide free meals to children enrolled in an activity program at the site where at least half of them are eligible for free and reduced-price meals. Camps may also participate in SFSP. They receive payments only for the meals served to children who are eligible for free and reduced-price meals.
Your Next Steps
The following information will lead you to the next steps to apply for this benefit.
Program Contact Information
For more information, please call the Montana Nutritional Health and Services
department toll-free at:
1-888-231-9393
