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Summer Food Service Program

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 school year 2019-2020 fifty-one percent (51%) of Alaska’s children were eligible for free and reduced-price meals, yet only 20% of the children that participated in the National School Lunch Program, participated in the Summer Food Service Program in FY20. 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.

Meals to You

Meals to You (M2Y) is a new Summer Food for Children demonstration project administered by DEED aimed at expanding the SFSP and reducing food insecurity in rural Alaskan communities.

Training

SFSP regulations require that all sponsors annually attend State Agency training and also requires that they must train all administrative staff and site staff before they undertake their responsibilities.  For Summer 2026, training will be held in 3, 1.5 hour online sessions March 3-5:

    • March 3, 2:30-4pm AKST: Applications and Claims
    • March 4, 1-2:30pm AKST: Compliance, Best Practices, and Administrative Reviews
    • March 5, 1-2:30pm AKST: Non-Congregate Meal Service (only required if operating non-congregate sites)
    • An additional training session may be added March 2 for any new sponsors (this will be offered as-needed)

Please email eed.cnp.summer@alaska.gov if you are unable to make the trainings above.

Sponsors will be expected to have current AK DEED Civil Rights training. This can be done through the link (laid out below), or we will offer a Teams viewing of the training (TBD).  A current certificate from another Child Nutrition program (July 29, 2025, training or more recent) will meet this requirement.

    • The most recent Civil Rights training for FY2026 is available here.
    • Sponsor staff may now request their certificate through the self-certification portal for Training Outside the E-learning System.
    • Each staff must complete the training and document their completion using the Self-Certification Portal- you can have the self-certification portal open while the training video is playing and answer the questions as you go along. You must pass the quiz in the self-certification portal to receive a certificate
    • Note that while participants will receive an immediate confirmation of completion, certificates are generated via the Nightly Automated Issuance for Learners Self-certified.

Similarly, Procurement Training is available online (laid out below), or we will offer a Teams viewing of this training (TBD).

Any new sponsors or staff will also be expected to complete the SFSP eLearning trainings listed below:

    • SFSP Administration Basics
    • SFSP Operation Basics

This institution is an equal opportunity provider

Civil Rights and Nondiscrimination Statement

Important Dates

Intent to Operate: submit by March 1, 2026
Training: March 3-5, 2026
Applications Open: Early-Mid March
Applications Close: June 15, 2026

Contact Us

  • Program Specialist
    • Shari Taylor: (907) 465-8711
  • Education Program Assistant 
    • Jennifer Cherian: (907) 465-4969

Program

SFSP Resources