The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) is seeking more schools, community organizations and Tribes to be sponsors for the USDA Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) this year. The SFSP helps ensure that children and teens receive the nutritious meals they need during the summer months. As an incentive, state grant funds of up to $20,000 per sponsor are available to start up or expand summer meal programs.
The SFSP works to ensure children 18 and younger, who benefit from meal programs during the school year, continue to have that same access to nutritious meals when schools are closed, or when students are unable to attend school in person.
“During the summer months, when school is not in session, children often lose vital access to school nutrition programs. Summer meal sites ensure that children continue to receive the nutrition they need to learn and grow,” ODE Summer Food Service Program Outreach Coordinator Cathy Brock said. “Expanding access to the program is an important step to close the hunger gap in all areas of the state. ODE’s Child Nutrition Program is seeking sponsors to ensure that children continue to receive meals throughout the summer.”
Schools, non-profit community organizations, local government agencies, camps and faith-based organizations that have the ability to manage a food service program may be SFSP sponsors.
Sponsoring organizations must enter into an agreement with ODE to operate the SFSP and are then reimbursed for serving healthy meals and snacks to children at approved sites. Sponsors may be approved to oversee and/or operate multiple sites.
Sites are places in the community where children receive meals in a safe and supervised environment. Sites may be located in a variety of settings, including schools, parks, community centers, health clinics, hospitals, libraries, migrant centers, apartment complexes and faith-based locations.
For more information about how your organization can become an SFSP sponsor, please contact ode.communitynutrition@ode.oregon.gov. The deadline to submit an eligibility assessment is March 1, 2026.