Summer Food Service Program

The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) helps assure that eligible populations have access to nutritious meals during the summer months. When school is not in session, SFSP provides reimbursement to community agencies offering the required continuum of meals. Eligible participants include: children 0 through 18 years of age whose family incomes are less than or equal to 185 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines; and to income-eligible adults over 18 years of age who have been determined by a state educational agency to have a disability and who participate in a school-based program for the disabled during the school year. SFSP contracts with schools and other community-based organizations to sponsor the local programs and provide meals that meet established guidelines. By increasing the nutrient intake of program participants, SFSP reduces their risk for health problems and enhances their learning capacities. The program also improves the quality of the summer programs offered in areas of economic need.

The SFSP is administered by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Additional Resources

Missouri Coronavirus GIS Hub

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FNS Response to COVID-19, Child Nutrition Program Waivers

Print “And JusticeFor All” poster

• Applications & Forms
• Find a SFSP site near you
• Find a SFSP site using your Mobile Devices
• The mobile-friendly map for Missouri’s Summer Food Service Program is now available. The mobile-friendly map will make the task of finding nearby SFSP sites on your mobile device much more convenient. Whether the device is an iPad, iPhone, Android, BlackBerry or Windows phone or tablet, if the mobile device has access to the internet or mobile network, it will have access to this easy to use map. On your device you can access this map by going to https://ogi.oa.mo.gov/DHSS/summerFood_mobile/index.html
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Grant Opportunities
• Manuals
• Newsletter
  • 2020
  • 2019
  • 2018
  • 2017
• Online Application Instructions
• PDF
• Online Claiming Instructions
• Word | PDF
• Rates
• Resources
• Sponsor Directory
  • 2019
  • 2018
  • 2017
• Training
• Trainings for Sponsors (Inperson trainings not available at this time.)
• Online Civil Rights Training
• SFSP Returning Sponsor Orientation Training
  • 2020 SFSP Manual available under Manuals above
• USDA Area Eligibility Mapper
• USDA Nondiscrimination Statement
• Web Log In Screen

To become a SFSP sponsor follow the instructions in the application packet under Forms.

PUBLIC NOTICE UPDATE

On March 13, 2020, the president declared a National Emergency due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.  The Department of Health and Senior Services, Bureau of Community Food and Nutrition Assistance (CFNA) was approved the following waivers from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to allow flexibilities during this emergency.  The waivers in place are:

• To allow meal pattern flexibilities for the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) meal patterns during times of food shortages or availability issues. 
• To allow SFSP sites that do not meet the 50 percent or more free or reduced priced eligibility requirement to be approved as SFSP sites during times of emergency.
• To allow participating CACFP and SFSP sponsoring organizations the option to serve in a non-congregate setting during times of emergency declarations.

On June 2, 2020, CFNA requested an extension of the following waiver through September 2020:

• To allow SFSP sites that do not meet the 50 percent or more free or reduced priced eligibility requirement to be approved as SFSP sites during times of emergency.

For more information regarding these requested waivers, please email the Summer Food Service Program at SFSP@health.mo.gov.

PUBLIC NOTICE UPDATE

On March 6, 2020, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued guidance regarding the application for state waivers to enable sponsors to serve meals in a non-congregate setting and at school sites during school closures related to a public health emergency, such as the coronavirus.

In response to the guidance, the Department of Health and Senior Services, Bureau of Community Food and Nutrition Assistance received approval from USDA to allow participating SFSP sponsoring organizations the option to serve meals in a non-congregate setting and at school sites during unanticipated school closures related to a public health emergency. 

PUBLIC NOTICE

On October 11, 2018 USDA issued Memo SFSP 01-2019

In response to this memo DHSS-CFNA is requesting that USDA approve the following state requested waivers:

• 1st Week Site Review Waiver – to allow sponsors to request that the state waive the 1st week site review for their sites
• Closed Enrolled Site Waiver – to allow sponsors to utilize area eligibility at these sites, if applicable
• Meal Time Restrictions Waiver – to allow sponsors to have meal time flexibility, but still require thirty minutes between meal services
• Offer vs Serve Waiver – to allow any sponsor to request the use of Offer vs Serve and to allow the sponsor to utilize the SFSP meal pattern for Offer vs. Serve

These waivers were approved by USDA for the 2019 Summer Food Service Program year and are being requested for approval for the 2020 Summer Food Service Program year.