Media Contact:  Patience Peabody 202-654-6120; [email protected]

Public and private organizations interested in participating in the U.S. Department of Agriculture Summer Food Service Program, known locally as the DC Free Summer Meals Program, can apply to be program sponsors from Feb. 22 through May 16, 2016, the District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) announced today.

The DC Free Summer Meals Program was created to ensure that children in under-served, low-income areas of the District have access to nutritious meals during summer vacation when school breakfast and lunch are not available.

The following are examples of organizations that would be eligible to sponsor a DC Free Summer Meals Program site: public or private nonprofit school food authorities; faith-based and nonprofit community-based organizations; housing authorities and other local government agencies; and public or private nonprofit day or overnight summer camps. For-profit organizations may be permitted to participate as a site as well. Qualifying organizations that want to apply after the May 16 deadline must contact the DC Free Summer Meals Program coordinator. 

In accordance with the USDA guidelines, organizations may be reimbursed for serving up to three eligible meals per day at approved locations. The program begins Saturday, June 18 and ends Sunday, Aug. 28, 2016. Meal site operation dates, days and times vary. DC residents can find sites participating in the program by calling 1-866-3-HUNGRY or texting “FOOD” to 877-877 beginning in June.

For more information on the DC Free Summer Meals Program, visit http://dcsummermeals.dc.gov or contact: Elisabeth Sweeting, OSSE program coordinator for the DC Free Summer Meals Program, at (202) 724-7628, (202) 368-3009, or [email protected].

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