The Vermont Agency of Education (AOE) is soliciting sponsors for Vermont’s Summer Food Service Program. This program, also known as Summer Meals, is federally funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and administered by the AOE Child Nutrition Programs team. Funds are available and sponsors are needed to provide meals to eligible children at summer food program sites. Organizations interested in becoming sponsors are urged to review the AOE’s Summer Food Service Factsheet.
“Nutrition is crucial to growth, development and learning,” said Secretary of Education Dan French. “Many of our students and families rely on free school meals to meet their nutritional needs, so summer can be hard for our lowest income families. Making sure students have access to nutritious meals during the summer is critical to their good health and ability to learn.”
School food service programs, including summer meals, are important for Vermont agriculture because they are major consumers of local produce. Increasing access to summer meals programs benefits families in Vermont communities and our farm economy.
Vermont Agency of Agriculture Secretary Anson Tebbetts said of the program, “Education never stops no matter the season. This is a valuable program for students so they get their education off on the right foot.”
“Vermont is a national leader in reaching children through summer feeding programs, yet only 1/3 of students who rely on school meals in our state are currently accessing summer meals,” said Anore Horton, Executive Director of Hunger Free Vermont. “It takes support from an entire community to make these summer meal programs accessible and impactful, and Hunger Free Vermont is proud to partner with Vermont Agency of Education to celebrate and promote summer meals. Summer meals help to close the opportunity gap and ensure that children return to school healthy, nourished and ready to learn.”
The AOE enters into agreements with sponsors to provide meals to eligible children in their area. Sponsors are reimbursed on a per-meal basis using USDA funds. Sponsors can be supervisory unions or school districts, private non-profit organizations, government entities, or non-profit residential camps. Sponsors operate sites where meals are provided. Examples of sites include schools, parks, housing complexes and libraries. Sponsors often have more than one site.
Sites established in low-income areas are “open” sites, where any child can eat a meal, no questions asked. Other types of sites must use individual child data to determine eligibility. Children who are members of 3SquaresVT or Reach Up households or meet the income eligibility guidelines are automatically eligible to receive free meals at these other sites.
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USDA Nondiscrimination Statement
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the form found online at:
http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:
(1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
(2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or
(3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
