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The 2019 Summer Food Service Program, which provides free meals to approximately 400,000 students, kicks off in July at nearly 3,000 sites statewide, State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia today announced. An interactive����helps families find a service site by address, city or zip code.

“No child should ever wonder where their next meal is coming from and thanks to the Summer Food Service Program, we can ensure that children who might otherwise go hungry during summer break have access to nutritious meals,” Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa said.�� “These programs play a critical role in encouraging healthy habits and helping our youngest New Yorkers reach their full potential.”

“The State Education Department works hard with our partners across the state to ensure that all students have access to a healthy meal throughout the school year,” Commissioner Elia said. “Thanks to our work with the USDA, we are able to fill the gap in the summer months and provide kids with much-needed, nutritious meals to keep children healthy and eager to learn when they return to school in the fall.”

About the Summer Food Service Program:

• Approximately 400,000 free meals are served daily to children throughout New York State through the USDA’s Summer Food Service Program, which starts July 8 at most sites and continues through September 3, 2019.
• Statewide, there are 360 organizations serving nutritious meals every day.
• There are approximately 3,000 SFSP feeding sites throughout the State.
• It is anticipated more than 20 million nutritious meals total will be served to New York children this summer.

The Summer Food Service Program was established to ensure that low-income children, 18 and younger, continue to receive nutritious meals when schools are not in session. USDA Food and Nutrition Service administers the Summer Food Service Program at the national level and the �鶹���� administers it at the state level.

The majority of New York sponsors begin operating Summer Food Service Programs on July 8, 2019.��There are a number of tools available to help find the site nearest you:

• Text: Text “Food or “Comida” to 877-877
• Call:
  • USDA National Hunger Hotline 1-866-3-HUNGRY or 1-877-3-HAMBRE
  • 211 in New York State
  • 311 in New York City

For more information on��, visit our website.