Laying the Foundation for Summer Nutrition Now is the time to plan for Summer 2026. Many summer meals sponsors are finalizing their summer plans around this time of year, so if you'd like to serve summer meals, don't delay—start planning now! We can help you learn more or connect you with a nearby summer meals sponsor. Email Cody at [email protected]. |
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Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) Sponsor Deadlines Approaching As a reminder, the application deadline to become a new summer meals sponsor is May 1, and sponsor renewals are due June 1. Are you considering sponsoring summer meals for the first time? Please see the New York State Education Department's (NYSED) resource for potential new sponsors, which includes basic information and next steps. General program information is available on NYSED's SFSP webpage. |
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Upcoming Webinars "Fueling Rural Futures: A Panel featuring Rural Non-Congregate Summer Meals Champions"
Wednesday, March 25, 1-2 PM
Join our webinar, co-hosted with No Kid Hungry New York, for a conversation with rural non-congregate (RNC) summer meal providers. This panel will featuring Heidi Ottaway from Cassadaga Valley CSD and Ryan Withrow from Whitehall and Hartford CSDs, who will discuss how their operations have changed since the inception of RNC in 2023, share lessons learned, highlight best practices, and answer questions from webinar participants.
Can’t make it? Register anyway to receive the follow-up resources. "Schools and Summer EBT"
Thursday, March 12, 3-4 PM
Join the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) for a webinar exploring the connection between schools and Summer EBT, including what responsibilities schools have to ensure eligible children receive their benefits, as well as additional supports schools can provide to expand access. Register here. |
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ICYMI: Suite of Summer Nutrition Webinars For summer meals basics and best practices, check out the recordings of our recent summer nutrition webinars below: -
"Sponsoring Summer Meals": This 25-minute webinar provides information about serving meals through the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) in New York State. Learn about program basics and best practices, including an overview of the rural non-congregate flexibility and how to cross-promote summer meals and Summer EBT. -
"Serving Rural Non-Congregate Meals": This 15-minute webinar, co-hosted with No Kid Hungry New York, highlights how to plan and operate rural non-congregate summer meals through SFSP effectively. Tune in to hear an overview of the rural non-congregate option, learn about key requirements for sponsors, and discover promising practices from the field. -
"A Collaborative Approach to Summer Nutrition": This hour-long webinar convened leaders from regional summer meals collaboratives across New York State to discuss their work on the summer nutrition programs. Panelists discussed different collaborative models, best practices, and lessons learned. -
"The Summer Nutrition Landscape: Setting the Scene for Summer 2026": FRAC provided a snapshot of where summer nutrition programs stand today, highlighted growth opportunities, and explored best practices to help ensure every child has access to nutritious meals when school is out. On this webinar, we participated as a panelist to share about summer nutrition programs in New York. |
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Share Your Child Nutrition Program Story Tell us how federal child nutrition programs, such as Summer EBT, summer meals, CACFP, and school meals, make a difference in your program or community. Your story can help us elevate the experiences of program providers in our communications with lawmakers, partners, and program operators. We will contact you before sharing your story. |
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