This document provides information about a summer meals workshop held on April 24, 2015. It discusses the consequences of childhood hunger, including health and academic problems. It then outlines several federal programs that help fight hunger during the summer months when school is not in session, such as the Summer Food Service Program. The document explains the roles and responsibilities of sponsors and sites in administering the Summer Food Service Program and provides suggestions for outreach and promotional activities to increase participation.

1. SUMMER MEALS
WORKSHOP
Friday, April 24th, 2015

3. Food Security in Our Region

4. Eligibility for Free/Reduced Price Meals

5. The Consequences of Hunger
Lack of nutritious food impairs a child’s ability to concentrate
and perform well in school.
Childhood hunger is liked to:
• Increased hospitalizations, developmental problems,
headaches, stomachaches and even colds;
• Higher levels of behavioral, emotional, and academic
problems;
• Greater risk of truancy and school tardiness.

6. Federal Programs Help Fight Hunger
The Food and Nutrition Services Division of the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) administers several
programs that help fight hunger and obesity by reimbursing
organizations such as schools, child care centers, non-
profits, and after-school programs for providing healthy
meals to children.
• National School Lunch Program
• School Breakfast Program
• Child and Adult Care Food Program
• Summer Food Service Program

7. Only 1 out of 7 eligible
children receive free summer
meals in our region.

8. Summer Food Service Program
 Funds provided by the USDA
 Administered by the California Department of Education
 Children 18 years and younger receive free, nutritious
meals
 Organizations, schools, local government agencies, etc.
serve the meals at safe and convenient sites in
communities
 Operates during summer months when
school is out

9. Program Structure
USDA
• Develops program policy, regulations, & reimbursement rates
• Trains and provides technical assistance to SAs
• Monitors & reviews SA administration of the program
State Agency
• Approves sponsor applications & conducts sponsor training
• Monitors operations
• Processes payments
Sponsor Organizations
• Locates, recruits, & monitors sites
• Arranges for meals
• Prepares claims for reimbursement & ensures sustainability
Sites
• Supervises activities & meal service at site
• Distributes meals & stores food appropriately
• Keeps daily record of meals served

10. What is a “Sponsor”?
Any organization that can handle the financial,
administrative, and food service responsibilities of running
the program.

11. What does a “Sponsor” do?
• Signs agreement with State Agency setting forth the
responsibilities of each party
• Attends training conducted by State Agency on how to
operate the program
• Maintains these ongoing responsibilities:
• Financial and administrative record keeping
• Manages food service (self-prep or vended)
• Trains sites
• Manages 1-200 sites
• Receives reimbursement from States for meals and administrative
costs

12. What is a “site”?
The place where meals are served to children.
• Sponsors can be sites too!

13. What does a “Site” do?
• Attends the training conducted by Sponsor
• Serves meals and supervises meal services
• Tracks the number of meals served
• Stores food appropriately
• Keeps the site clean and sanitary
• Follows program requirements and guidelines
• Conducts any additional programming (i.e. reading
program, physical activities, games, etc.)

14. Get Involved
• Be a Site – if you are just getting started with summer
meals
• Be a Sponsor – if you’re ready for the responsibility
• Help a Site or Sponsor – transport meals or kids to sites
• Partner with Sites – plan fun educational or physical
activities for kids and teens at the site
• Spread the Word! Hang up signs, send out emails, write
letters, and spread the word to families about where sites
are and how they can get free meals.

15. Summer Meals Outreach

16. Promotional Materials
• Flyers, bookmarks, postcards
• Ask schools to send promotional materials home with
their students
• Ask organizations to provide information to the individuals
they serve
• Social Service Organizations
• Doctor Offices
• WIC

17. Public Service Announcements
• Radio Stations
• Newspapers
• Local News Channels
• Community Websites

18. Kick-Off Events
• Community Barbecue
• Resource Fair
• Carnival Themed Event
• Sky’s the limit!

19. Outreach Blitz
• Door-to-Door Outreach
• Hand out flyers or door hangers
to communities that surround
sites
• Ask businesses to post a flyer
or hand out information
• Multi-lingual materials
• Enlist Volunteers
• United Way’s Volunteer Center
• http://volunteercenter.uwccr.org/

20. Additional Services & Activities
• Fun, safe, and
educational
• United Way’s Star Readers
Program
• United Way’s Fit Kids Program
• Sports Clinic
• Dance Lessons
• Talent Show

21. Q & A

22. THANK YOU!
For more information, please contact
Katelyn Niel at katelyn.niel@uwccr.org