Office of Educational Services & Support

Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and Seamless Summer

Just as learning does not end when school lets out, neither does the need for good nutrition. Children who aren’t hungry learn better, act better, and feel better.  The Summer Food Service Program helps children get the nutrition they need to learn, play and grow during summer months when they are out of school.  During the school year, more that 18 million children receive free and reduced price meals at school.  During the summer, that number drops to only about 3 million. 

The primary purpose of the program is to provide food service during periods when schools are closed for vacation.  Children under the age of 18 can receive a meal free of charge at a participating site.  Summer Food Service Program is administered at the Federal level by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). In South Dakota the Department of Education administers the program for local sponsors throughout the state.  More sponsors are needed at the local level in order to feed more hungry children during the summer months. 

Applications for participation are mailed in March to local agencies which participated in the prior year. For information about participating in the Summer.

NEW: The 2008 SFSP Application is now available for downloading.