New York Summer Food Service (SFSP)

What You Need To Know?

The New York Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is a federally funded program which was initiated in order to ensure children receiving same nutritious meals which they were offered during The School Breakfast and Lunch Program in the vacations when schools are out of sessions. The program is designed specifically to focus on the children in poor locality of New York City. The Summer Food Service Program provides reimbursement for the meals served to ensure the wellbeing of children. The Ultimate purpose of the Summer Food Service Program is to ensure each children belonging to low income households is not deprived of healthy meals in vacations due to financial crisis.

Locally, the program is operated by the sponsors approved by the state that meet the federal nutritional guidelines. The Summer Food Service Program compensates them according to the number of meals they serve on regular basis. The sponsors may include Public or Private Non-profit school food authorities, residential camps and State Agencies, Education Service Districts or even non-profit organizations.

Meals are served without any charges to the eligible children  and can be provided to children up till the age of 18.The eligibility for the program is equal for all irrespective of cast, color race or origin nationality.

Children above the age of 18, suffering from any sort of physical or mental disorder and already enrolled in other Government subsidized welfare programs may also enroll the Summer Food Assistance Program.

Benefits of New York Summer Service Program (SFSP)

The Summer Food Service Programs offer a diverse array of benefits for children.It may help curb obesity and may promote positive peer interaction in communities and enrichment programs by gathering children on a united platform, providing high quality meals.

The benefits are not just limited to the children but the program also plays a crucial role in assisting communities and financially weak parents. The meals provided at the Summer Food Service Program reduce the financial burden on low income parents by offsetting the limited food budgets. The program also creates temporary employment which plays a significant role in up raising the economic condition of families.

Administration

The New York Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is administered federally by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), while New York State Education Department (NYSED) operates it on state level. Locally, the approved sponsors look after the program.

Are You Eligible?

Only the applicants that meet the criteria set up by the State department are eligible for the Summer Food Service Program .On order to qualify for the program you must be a legally recognized citizen currently situated in New York with income per annum meeting the guidelines.

The applicants of the program must co-operate with the assisting department in terms of punctuality and obeying the regulations. Any sort of non-cooperation may result in disqualification from the program.

How To Apply?

The application procedure for the New York Summer Food Service Program is quite convenient. Any applicant meeting the basic criteria is eligible for the program irrespective of any cultural gaps. To apply, a Summer Food Service Program operator must be browsed in order to enroll your child. You may locate a Summer Food Service Program near you by:

• Text FOOD to 877877 and a list of sites will be sent to your phone.
• Call the SFSP hotline at (866) 3-HUNGRY.
• Click hereto view an interactive map with information on all the summer meal sites in New York State.
• The New York State Department of Health’s Growing up Healthy Hotline, (800) 522-5006, can also help locate a summer meal site in your community.

In accordance with federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, any discrimination on the basis of race, color or other differences is strictly prohibited any candidates may complain such incidents by writing at USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

For Further Information?

For further details and queries, the department may be contacted at 518-473-8781(TOLL-FREE)

For questions or more information about Summer Food service Program (SFSP), you may also contact Chief Outreach Officer, at (315) 437-1899

Also Read: Iowa’s National School Breakfast and Lunch Program