Our vision at Feeding America of “feeding hope” is especially challenging in the summer when students have limited or no access to the school lunch program. Many of our member food banks administer or sponsor meal sites as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), which provides low-income children with free, nutritious meals during the summer months when school is not in session.
SFSP is the single largest Federal resource available for local sponsors who want to combine a child nutrition program with a summer activity program. However, although more than 17 million children participated in the free or reduced priced school meal program in FY 2006, only about 2 million children received meals during the summer months, largely due to the lack of local programs. Simply put, too many of America’s kids are going hungry in the summer.
Program Operations
States approve SFSP meal sites as open, enrolled, or camp sites. Open sites operate in low-income areas where at least half of the children come from families with incomes at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty level, making them eligible for free and reduced-price school meals. Meals are served free to any child at the open site. Enrolled sites provide free meals to children enrolled in an activity program at the site where at least half of them are eligible for free and reduced-price meals. Camps may also participate in SFSP. They receive payments only for the meals served to children who are eligible for free and reduced-price meals.
Reimbursements
Sponsors receive reimbursement for each meal served at an approved SFSP site. Under the simplified reporting procedures enacted in January 2008, costs no longer need to be categorized as “operational” or “administrative”. Also, sponsors will receive the full reimbursement rate for each meal served, regardless of budgeted or actual costs.
Reimbursement Rates for different types of sites | ||
Type of Meal | Self-preparation or Rural Sites | Other Types of Sites (Vended-Urban) |
| Breakfast | 1.8150 | 1.7800 |
| Lunch or Supper | 3.1825 | 3.1300 |
| Supplement | 0.7525 | 0.7350 |
Legislative History
The foundation for SFSP was laid during a three year pilot project started in 1968. The Separate Child Care Food Program and Summer Food Service Program became permanent in 1975. Program participation reached an all-time peak of nearly 2.8 million children in 1977. In addition to growth, however, several provisions contributing to abuse and inefficiency were identified.
The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 made major changes in the program, the most significant of which was the elimination of private nonprofit organization sponsors, except schools and camps. The law also redefined “area of poor economic conditions” to mean areas where 50 percent of children would be eligible for free and reduced price meals, rather than one-third. In 1989, the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act readmitted private nonprofit organization sponsors, with certain conditions.
The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 removed expansion of SFSP as a stated goal; lowered reimbursement rates for operating costs; limited the number of reimbursable meal services for certain sponsors; eliminated participation of “academic year” National Youth Sports Program sites; and eliminated start-up and expansion grants.
In FY 2001, Congress enacted the Simplified Summer Food Service Program (also known as the Lugar Pilot) as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act. The pilot began in the 13 states (plus Puerto Rico) with the lowest Summer Food Service Program participation rates. The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 authorized the expansion of the pilot and brought the total number of states eligible to participate in the Simplified SFSP to 26 (plus Puerto Rico) by January 2006. This program simplifies the reporting requirements for sponsors and removes the wall between administrative and operational expenses.
The FY 2008 Omnibus Appropriations Act extended the Simplified reporting procedures to all sponsors, nationwide. Under this regulatory change, sponsors do not have to report their costs to the State agency, or categorize costs as “operational or administrative,” although they must maintain records for the State agency’s review. Reimbursement is based on the type of meal served multiplied by the rate for that meal, without comparison to actual or budgeted costs.
To reduce child hunger in the summer, Feeding America urges Congress to:
- Expand open-site eligibility for the SFSP by reducing the area-eligibility requirement to 40 percent of families with incomes at or below 185 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.
- Restore SFSP meal reimbursement rates to pre-Welfare Reform (1996) levels with adjustments for inflation.
- Expand Rural Transportation Pilot Programs to encourage sponsorship and participation in rural areas, which are severely underserved in the SFSP.
