The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is looking for sponsors willing to provide nutritious meals to Kansas children during the summer months.

Organizations interested in sponsoring a site can contact Jill Ladd, assistant director of Child Nutrition and Wellness for the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE), at (785) 296-2276 to determine eligibility to participate. For more information, visit www.kn-eat.org and select the Summer Food Service Program.

A program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), SFSP provides reimbursement to schools, public agencies and private nonprofit organizations for food services.

Free meals enhance summer education and/or recreation programs. If your community already has a sponsor, find out how you or your organization can assist by providing additional sites, volunteers or activities.

The goal of the SFSP is to ensure children continue to receive nutritious meals during long school vacations when the low-cost or free school meals provided through the Child Nutrition Programs of the USDA are no longer available. SFSP sponsors receive reimbursements for documenting and serving healthy meals to children between the ages of 1 and 18 years of age at approved sites. These nutritional opportunities help keep children ready to learn when school resumes. Proper nutrition is a critical component of reaching the Kansas State Board of Education’s vision for education — Kansas leads the world in the success of each student.

KSDE administers the SFSP in Kansas.

SFSP meals can complement supervised activities that are safe, fun and filled with learning opportunities. Children benefit nutritionally by receiving complete, wholesome meals and parents benefit from help in stretching their food dollars. Children who continue to receive healthy meals through the summer feel better, behave better and go back to school ready to learn.

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its agencies, offices and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the agency (state or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: https://www.usda.gov/oascr/how-to-file-a-program-discrimination-complaint, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C., 20250-9410. Complaint forms also can be faxed to (202) 690-7442 or emailed to program.intake@usda.gov.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.