• PIERRE, S.D. - Nearly 60,000 South Dakota children receive free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program when school is in session, but those kids also need healthy meals in summer months.
• The state Department of Education's Child and Adult Nutrition Services staff is searching for sponsors to continue to prepare and serve meals for those families in communities that qualify. 
• "All too often, a lot of children are forced to go without nutritious meals when school is not in session," said Sandra Kangas, director of South Dakota's Child and Adult Nutrition Services. "The Summer Food Service Program offers help to families by making sure each child's basic nutritional needs are met."
• The program provides food service to youngsters when school is not in session. Children age 18 and younger may receive meals free of charge at participating sites.
• Organizations are needed to serve as Summer Food Service Program sponsors. Entities, such as non-profit groups, schools and local governments can apply to be approved sponsors if they operate in low-income areas, if they serve a group of mostly low-income children, or if they are summer camps. Multiple sponsors can serve in area-eligible locations by collaborating to meet the meal needs of their communities.  
• To become a participating or sponsoring site, call Child and Adult Nutrition Services at 605-773-3413. Training for new participants begins in March; registration is due March 1. For more information and to view a USDA summer food program video filmed in South Dakota, visit http://doe.sd.gov/cans/sfsp.aspx
• Sponsors are always looking for partners to help enhance the program with activities, educational programs, and other ways to achieve continued participation during the summer. If you are in a community already served by a summer sponsor and want to help, please contact them; the planning process for summer is starting soon!
• The Summer Food Service Program is a federally funded program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture and is administered by the South Dakota Department of Education. This agency is an equal opportunity provider.
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