Vol, 7, No. 4: January 28, 2008		Get SEAchange by email

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3. Summer Food Service Program seeks sponsors

The DPI is seeking sponsors—schools, local governments, or other organizations—for a program that provides free meals to economically disadvantaged children during school summer vacations for the 2008 program year.

"The Summer Food Service Program feeds students who might otherwise go hungry," said Burmaster. "In many communities, the program is offered along with educational, developmental, and recreational activities that help children continue to learn and stay safe when school is not in session. The meals act as magnets to draw children to activities that also benefit their academic and social skills."

The DPI contracts with public and private schools; nonprofit organizations; city, county, and tribal governments; and other organizations to feed low-income children during the summer months. When school is in session, more than 30 million children around the nation, including more than 560,000 in Wisconsin, eat school lunch each day. Of these, about six of every ten—or four of every ten in Wisconsin—receive their meals free or at a reduced price because they are from families with low household incomes.

Applications to sponsor the Summer Food Service Program will be completed on-line this year. New sponsors will be required to attend training March 26 in Madison. Continuing sponsors for the 2008 summer program are invited to choose a training session on Feb. 29 in Rhinelander, March 7 in Oak Creek, March 14 in Madison, or March 18 in Rice Lake. The 2008 Training Registration and Training Materials Request Form must be mailed or faxed to DPI by Feb. 22.

Meals for the Summer Food Service Program must be served in accordance with federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, which prohibits institutions from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. Any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against in any U.S. Department of Agriculture-related activity should write to the USDA Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). The USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

More information is available in a DPI news release.

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Last updated on 1/28/2008