Submitted by the NYS Education Department
The 2023 Summer Food Service Program, providing free meals to approximately 400,000 young people at parks, pools, libraries, camps, and schools, kicks off in July at nearly 2,500 sites statewide. Studies have shown that access to nutritious food during summer break benefits children’s health, education, and food security. Inadequate nutrition can have developmental consequences for children, including lower academic performance, social and emotional difficulties like anxiety and depression, and a higher risk for chronic illnesses like anemia or diabetes. The program sites also give young people an opportunity to interact with other children their age and participate in free activities.
Statewide, over 495 organizations will serve nutritious meals every day. Summer meal sites offer nutritious, healthy meals for children, often with fresh, locally sourced produce. Meals will be available for pick-up or delivered to eligible children in rural areas who can’t get to a meal site.
It is anticipated that more than 20 million nutritious meals will be served to New York children this summer. There are several tools available to help find the Summer Food Service Program site nearest you, including the USDA online map, available by visiting www.fns.usda.gov/meals4kids, texting “Food” to 304-304, and calling the National Hunger Hotline at 1-866-3-HUNGRY.
Additional program sites and meal services time updates will be added to the online map weekly. Please check the above resources often to find out whether these have become available in your area.
The Summer Food Service Program was established to ensure that low-income children age 18 and younger receive nutritious meals when schools are not in session. USDA Food and Nutrition Service administers the Summer Food Service Program at the national level, and the New York State Education Department administers it at the state level.
