The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is a federally-funded program that provides free, nutritious meals to children age 18 or younger living in low-income areas, or pockets of poverty during the summer months when school is not in session. The SFSP can be sponsored by public or private nonprofit schools, or school districts; public or private nonprofit organizations, day or residential summer camps; local government agencies or tribal organizations. Summer feeding sites can be located in schools, public housing centers, playgrounds, camps, parks, churches, rec centers, and many other facilities as long as the site meets the SFSP eligibility criteria.
Sponsors are reimbursed for the number of meals served to each eligible child multiplied by the appropriate reimbursement rate. The SFSP has higher reimbursement rates than any other Child Nutrition Program, yet it is one of the most under-utilized federal assistance programs. In Alaska, nearly 50,000 eligible children received free or reduced-price school meals during FY15, and only about 6,000 children participated in SFSP. The SFSP is the key to helping fill the hunger gap for children who receive free and reduced-price meals during the regular school year.
Important Dates
Contact Us
- Program Specialist
- Alicia Maryott: (907) 465-4788
- Education Program Assistant
- Cyde Coil: (907) 465-4969
SFSP Public Service Announcement
The Department of Education and Early Development, Alaska Child Nutrition Programs has partnered with the Washington Dairy Council and the Seattle Seahawks to spread the word about the Summer Food Service Program. This PSA features Max Unger, center with the Seattle Seahawks, and has been distributed to radio stations across the state.
SFSP 2016
- 2016 SFSP Reimbursement Rates (word)
- SFSP Claim Calendar (word)
- 2016 SFSP Administrative Guidance for Sponsors (pdf)
- 2016 SFSP Site Supervisor’s Guide (pdf)
- 2016 SFSP Monitor’s Guide (pdf)
- 2016 SFSP Nutrition Guidance (pdf)
- 2016 Free and Reduced Price Eligibility Report (excel)
- Everyone Wins with Summer Food (pdf)
- Four Ways to Participate (pdf)
- Summer Food Service Options for School Districts (word)
- 2016 Comparison of Summer Food, School Lunch and Seamless Summer Option (word)
- 2016 Sponsor Budget Worksheet (excel)
Training
SFSP Regulations require that all sponsors annually attend State Agency training, and they must train all administrative staff and site staff before they undertake their responsibilities.
The Alaska Department of Education & Early Development, Child Nutrition Programs provides Summer Food Service Program training each spring. New and Returning Sponsors will be notified annually (usually in January) when training dates have been established. Training sessions are offered in Anchorage and via distance delivery (teleconference).
SFSP Training Presentations
- 2016 SFSP Administrative Update (pdf)
- 2015 SFSP Program Basics (powerpoint)
- SFSP CNP Web Tutorial (word)
- SFSP CNP Web Claims Tutorial (word)
2017 Annual SFSP Training
- Distance Delivery for All Sponsors: Call will originate from DEED, Child Nutrition Programs
April 13, 2017 8:30AM to 12:00PM School Sponsors ↦ Staff - Distance Delivery for School Sponsors: Call will originate from DEED, Child Nutrition Programs
April 20, 2017 1:00PM to 3:00PM District Sponsors & Staff - Anchorage Location: BP Energy Center 900 E. Benson Blvd.
May 2, 2017 9:00AM – 4:30PM All Sponsors & Staff
Training Registration
To register for training, please submit the training registration to Cyde Coil.