SFSP Income Eligibility Guidance for Camps, Conditional Non-Congregate Sites, and Closed Enrolled Sites

Summer Food Service Program
Parent Letter – Camps, Conditional Non-Congregate Sites, and Closed Enrolled Sites
July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026

Dear Parent or Guardian:

(Name of SFSP Sponsor) is participating in the Summer Food Service Program. This program reimburses sponsors for nutritious meals served to children meeting the eligibility requirements for free or reduced-price school meals. Sponsors must document eligibility by obtaining family size and income data. If your yearly income is equal to or less than the amount listed below for your family size, your child is eligible to receive free or reduced meals.

If your child is a member of a household receiving assistance under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP [formerly Food Stamps]) or the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program, he or she is automatically eligible when your case number is listed on the IEF.

In order to apply for meal benefits, the attached form must be completed according to the directions below:

Parts 1, 2, and 4 of the IEF are required to be completed, except if SNAP or TANF benefits are documented, then only Parts 1 and 4 are required.

Part 1: Children Enrolled in the Program

• List all children (first and last name) enrolled in the camp or site.
• List each enrolled child’s complete date of birth (month/day/year).
• If you are applying for a foster child, the foster child is eligible for free meals, provided third-party documentation is provided to the sponsor. Mark an X in the space provided, if a foster child is listed in Part 1.
• If your child receives Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) payments, please indicate the appropriate case number in the spaces provided and sign the form. Do not use the number on your card. You do not need to complete Part 2.
• If you have a SNAP or TANF case number for at least one of your children enrolled at the camp or site, the eligibility extends to all of your children enrolled at the camp or site. Skip Part 2.

Part 2: Household and Income Information

• Report income by payment cycle (i.e., weekly, monthly, etc.) for each household member.
• List other household members not included in Part 1. A household is a group of related or unrelated individuals who are living as one economic unit (i.e., sharing living expenses). Note: A foster child may be added to increase household size, if applicable.
• Report gross wages in the space provided. This includes all income before taxes and before other deductions.
• Income exclusions not to be reported or counted include:
  • Payments received for the care of foster children.
  • Student financial assistance provided for the costs of attendance at an educational institution, such as grants and scholarships.
  • Bank or student loans, since these funds are only temporarily available and must be repaid.
• Report welfare, child support, alimony, pensions, retirement, social security, and other income in the space provided, if applicable.

Part 3: Participant’s Ethnic and Racial Information – Optional

Part 4: Signature

• Sign the form.
• For the IEF to be valid, you must provide the last four digits of your social security number, unless your child(ren) is a SNAP or TANF recipient. If you do not have a social security number, write “none” in the space provided.
• Date the form.
• Print your full name.
• Print your complete mailing address.
• Provide your phone number.

Note: The adult household member completing the IEF must attest to the fact that the information provided is correct and true and that all income is reported, that it is being given in connection with the receipt of federal funds, that institution officials may verify information, and that deliberate misrepresentation of information may subject the individual to prosecution under the applicable state and federal laws.

Sincerely,

(Signature of Sponsor Representative)
(Name, Title)
(Phone Number)

Attachment

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted 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; or
2. fax:
   (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
3. email:
   Program.Intake@usda.gov 

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.