Summer Feeding Programs Help Area Kids

The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) gained some ground in New York State from 2014 to 2015, according to a recent report from the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), but hundreds of thousands of the state’s children still go hungry during the summer months. The SFSP, commonly known as summer meals, provides free meals and snacks during summer to low-income children ages 18 and younger at gathering places like parks, libraries and community centers. On an average July day in 2015, approximately 288,500 children – just 30% of those who rely on free or reduced price school lunch – ate at a summer meals site through the SFSP. Communities can promote the availability of summer meals by displaying promotional flyers, available at no cost, from the New York State Department of Education or on Hunger Solutions New York’s website, SummerMealsNY.org. The website also features a meal site locator.