Children enjoy their lunch during a kickoff event for the Summer Food Service Program at Calvary Elementary School (Marion County). The program will provide more than 2 million breakfasts, lunches and snacks this summer to more than 20,000 Kentucky children who might not otherwise have access to nutritious meals when school is not in session. Photo by Mike Marsee, June 14, 2016

Children enjoy their lunch during a kickoff event for the Summer Food Service Program at Calvary Elementary School (Marion County). The program will provide more than 2 million breakfasts, lunches and snacks this summer to more than 20,000 Kentucky children who might not otherwise have access to nutritious meals when school is not in session.
Photo by Mike Marsee, June 14, 2016

(Frankfort, KY) – Sponsors are being sought for the 2018 Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). School districts and nonprofit organizations – including churches and faith-based organizations and government entities – are encouraged to participate as sponsors in the Summer Food Service Program and are invited to attend training.

The number of low-income children receiving SFSP meals has grown, but many children still may not regularly receive nutritious meals in the summer months. New sponsors are sought to help meet this need.

From May until September when schools are not in session, the SFSP provides nutritious meals and/or snacks free of charge to children under the age of 18 without regard to race, color, national origin, age (within regulatory limits), sex or disability.

Summer Food Service Program sponsors receive reimbursement for all eligible meals served. Qualified sponsors are reimbursed for program operating and administrative expenses based on the number of eligible meals served. To be eligible, sponsors must:

  • provide continuing service to the community;
  • serve meals to children in eligible areas or to groups of designated eligible children; and
  • show they are financially and administratively capable of operating the program.

Training for 2018 SFSP sponsors will be held:

  • March 13 – Kentucky Dam Village Resort Park, Gilbertsville
  • March 15 – Knicely Center WKU campus, Bowling Green
  • March 20 – Corbin Technology Center, Corbin
  • March 22 – Morehead Conference Center, Morehead
  • March 27 – School and Community Nutrition Offices, 2 Hudson Hollow, Frankfort

Training will begin at 8:30 a.m. local time and end at or before 4 p.m. local time. Interested participants should pre-register online for the training: Find “Training Registration” under the Links section on the left side of the page. Please call Mike Sullivan at (502) 564-5625, ext. 4930, for more information.

For experienced sponsors only, there is an option of viewing recorded online training, to be available by late March. Experienced sponsors will be notified when it is available.