The Summer Food Program
How can a site start participating in the Summer Food Program?
Sites that wish to procure and serve food on their own should contact the Office of the State Superintendent of Education at (202) 654-6116. If your site needs a sponsor to deliver food and handle financial obligations, you can apply to be sponsored by the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR).
Typically, sign-ups for D.C. Free Summer Meals happen in April and early May - so mark your calendars for next year!
To prepare for 2011:
Read how to apply to be a sponsored site through DPR for more information on how to submit the following forms:
How can my child get free summer meals and snacks in D.C.?
Click here to see a list of open summer meal sites (pdf), organized by ward. Children 18 and younger can show up at these sites to eat for free.
Download the Summer Food Program section (pdf) of How to Get Food in the District of Columbia. The section includes: what the summer meal program is, why the program is good for kids, how a child can participate, how to find sites in the city that serve free summer meals to children.
D.C. Summer Food Participation Data
- Since 2003, the District’s Free Summer Meals Program has ranked number one in the nation for reaching the largest percentage of eligible children, compared to other states.
- In the summer of 2008, D.C.'s Summer Food Service Program served 26,198 children, but in 2009, participation dropped by 1,301 children.
More Summer Food Resources
Visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Web site section on the Summer Food Program.
Visit the Food Research and Action Center's Afterschool Resource Center for advocacy information on the Summer Food Program.
