Summer Food Service Program
Maryland's Summer Food Service Program provides nutritious meals and snacks to low-income children (ages 18 and under) during June, July, and August. Meals and snacks are served at schools, community programs, faith-based programs, and recreation centers across the state.
Hunger doesn’t take a vacation when school lets out. The Free Summer Meals Program fills the nutrition gap for the low-income children who depend on free and reduced-price school lunch and breakfast during the school year. Free summer meals help families stretch their food budgets throughout the summer months. Serving free meals strengthens recreation and enrichment programs by providing a source of federal funding for nutritious food.
What's happening with summer food in Maryland:
Free Summer Meals Served at More than 1000 Sites Across Maryland
Read about (pdf) the 2011 Summer Food Service Program kickoff on June 28 at St. Veronica Catholic Church in Cherry Hill. (The Baltimore Times, July 8-14, 2011)
Sites and Sponsors Needed for Summer 2011
Download Your Guide to the Summer Food Service Program - 2011 Edition (pdf) to find out more.
Webinar Slides Online:
Summer Food Service Program in Maryland. (pdf)
Maryland Summer Nutrition Report
Summer Nutrition in Maryland's Counties (pdf) details county-by-county participation in Summer Nutrition Programs in Maryland in July 2009. Approximately 24 low-income children received a lunch in July for every 100 that received a free or reduced-price public school lunch during the school year. This is an increase from summer 2008 when only 21 lowincome children received lunch in July for every 100 that received a free or reduced-price meal.
Maryland Hunger Solutions can help by:
- assisting your organization in applying to be a Free Summer Meals site;
- providing training and assistance on how to operate the program;
- helping improve food quality at your sites;
- providing information on conducting a level of excellence analysis for your site.
Help us spread the word:
Search the database for Maryland Summer Food Service sites on the Maryland State Department of Education Web site.
Contact us if your organization would be interested in becoming a Maryland Free Summer Meals site, particularly if you are planning to offer a youth program.
