ODE Offers Oregon Summer Food Service Program Sponsorship Opportunities

The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) has made grant funds of up to $20,000 available to start or expand the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) for children and teens.

The ODE is seeking more schools, community organizations, and tribes to benefit from the Program, but prospective applicants should note that the eligibility assessments are due by March 1, 2025.

ODE Summer Food Service Sponsorships

To help ensure that children and teens 18 and younger get the nutritious meals they need during the summer months when schools are closed, the  ODE wants more schools, community organizations, and tribes to participate in the SFSP this summer.

State grant funds of up to $20,000 per sponsor are available to start or expand summer meal programs to ensure children get nutritious meals when schools are closed, or students cannot attend school in person.

The civil rights regulations and policies of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)  and federal civil rights law dictate that nobody can be discriminated against based on race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity and the SFSP information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint,  a USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form should be filed. The form is available online from any USDA office, calling (866) 632-9992, or writing a letter addressed to USDA at [email protected].

Eligibility For Summer Food Service Sponsorships

State grant funds of up to $20,000 are available to start or expand summer meal programs. Grant activities eligible for reimbursement include buying food service equipment, supplies for enrichment activities, and staff costs where time is used to support and operate summer meal programs.

Local government agencies, schools, non-profit community organizations, camps, and faith-based organizations that can manage a food service program could become SFSP sponsors. To run a USDA Summer Food Service Program, sponsoring organizations must conclude an agreement with ODE.

Sponsors could be approved to oversee and/or manage multiple sites. They will be reimbursed for serving healthy meals and snacks to children at approved sites.

SFSP Sites are places in the community where children get meals in a safe and supervised environment. They could be in different settings, including schools, community centers, health clinics, hospitals, libraries, parks, apartment complexes,  migrant centers, and faith-based locations.

More information is available on the SFSP website or from the ODE Community Nutrition Team. Assessments to become a Summer Food Service Sponsor must be submitted by March 1, 2025.