Students offered free meals through summer at sites across Sumter

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SUBMITTED BY SUMTER SCHOOL DISTRICT

The Seamless Summer Option, Summer Feeding Program, allows school food authorities to provide free nutritious meals and snacks to children 18 years of age or younger during summer vacation periods. A person 19 years of age and over with a mental or physical disability as determined by a state or local educational agency and who participates during the school year in a public or private nonprofit school program may participate in the program.

The program is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Participating sites may choose either breakfast and lunch, breakfast and a snack or lunch and a snack per day, per child per site. Sites may be a school, church, recreation center, camp, playground and community park.

Dates of Operation

The Summer Feeding Program will operate from Monday, June 4, through Friday, July 31, 2021.

Types of Meals Provided

- Breakfast meals consist of one serving of fluid 1% or nonfat milk, one serving of a vegetable or fruit or full-strength juice and one serving of grain or bread.

- Hot or cold lunch meals consist of one serving of fluid 1% or nonfat milk, one serving grain, one serving meat/meat alternate, one serving of fruit and one serving of vegetable.

- Snack meals consist of two food items from two different food components. Food components are 1% or nonfat milk, vegetable or fruit, grain and meat/meat alternate.

Food pans, serving utensils, napkins, gloves, condiments and food transporting containers will be provided.

Meals must be served to children one hour after delivery or pickup. All meals must be consumed on site, with the exception of whole fruits or closed packaged grain products.

Site Responsibilities

- Site representatives are required to maintain and submit daily reports required by Sumter School District.

- A representative from each participating site/program must attend one training/orientation session sponsored by Sumter School District to qualify for the program.

- Sites must provide adequate supervision during meal service. All sites are expected to adhere to local health and Sumter School District food safety guidelines.

- Sites must have adequate storage and working refrigeration.

Visit the district website at www.sumterschools.net to download and complete the application provided. You may email your application to Susan.Hanks@sumterschools.net or Stacey.Francis@sumterschools.net or fax the application to (803) 499-5959. Applications are due on or before May 21, 2021.

Direct all questions to Stacey Francis, food service director, at (803) 499-5950, extension 109, or Susan Hanks, summer feeding coordinator, at (803) 499-5950, extension 101.