The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is allowing the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) to continue operations past the summer months until August 2021. USDA is extending SFSP to support communities in meeting the nutritional needs of children amid the COVID-19 outbreak. More than 80 sites across the city will offer no cost meals to all DC youth age 18 and under. The meal sites will operate through August 2021. Meal sites and can be found at: coronavirus.dc.gov/food. Additional sites may be added across the city so be sure to check the page weekly for updates.

Program Details

Hunger doesn’t take a summer break.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), known in Washington, DC as the DC Summer Meals Program, provides reimbursement for free nutritious meals and snacks served to children 18 and younger. These meals help children in low-income areas get the nutrition they need to learn, play, and grow throughout the summer months when they are out of school.

When school is out, the meals served as a part of the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program are not available to all students, and due to families' limited budgets, or other circumstances, children will often miss wholesome meals. The Summer Food Service Program was established to fill this hunger gap and ensure that low-income children continue to receive nutritious meals when school is not in session.

Since 2012, more than 6.6 million summer meals have been served through the DC Summer Meals Program to children and youth in the District of Columbia. Sponsoring organizations included:

• Public and private local education agencies;
• Entities of state, local, and municipal government;
• Public and private non-profit organizations with 501(c)(3) status; and
• Non-profit residential and non-residential camps

2021 Summer Food Service Program Rates of Reimbursement

Reimbursement rate for meals served at rural/self-preparation sites:

• Breakfast: $2.4625
• Lunch or Supper: $4.3175
• Supplement (snack): $1.02

Reimbursement rate for meals served at all other type of sites:

• Breakfast: $2.415
• Lunch or Supper: $4.25
• Supplement (snack): $0.9975

Resources

• Sponsors and Sites Needed for the 2021 DC Free Summer Meals Program
• Application, Supplemental and Program Operation Information
• Summer Meals Sponsor Outreach Materials
• Training and Events
• Find a Summer Meal Site
• USDA Summer Food Service Program Site
• DC Hunger Solutions
• DC Child and Adult Care Food Program
• Public Notification – Summer Food Service Program Waiver Requests
• USDA Nondiscrimination Statement (English)
• USDA Nondiscrimination Statement (Español)