Summer food partners looking to expand program to reach more children throughout Colorado
DENVER (April 2, 2013) – Summer should be a fun and enriching time for all Colorado kids, but for many it represents a time when children are at the greatest risk of experiencing hunger, losing access to school meals. The Colorado Department of Education, Hunger Free Colorado and hundreds of partners around the state address child hunger during the summer months through a statewide summer food program. Applications are now being accepted for 2013 summer food sites and sponsors, so the program can continue to expand and reach more children in need throughout the state.
The Summer Food Service Program, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, offers “food that’s in when school is out.” The program was established as a safeguard for children eligible for free or reduced-price meals during the school year, particularly those in households that may not when or where they will get their next meal. It fills the nutritional gap, ensuring that children have access to healthy meals throughout the summer. Free, nutritious meals that meet federal nutrition guidelines are provided to children and teenagers, aged 1-18, at designated sites across Colorado.
The Colorado Department of Education will accept applications through April 23 for those interested in serving as a site or sponsor for the 2013 Summer Food Service Program in Colorado. All summer food sites must meet one of the following requirements: be open to all children in the community, operate as a camp or have closed enrollment for a specific group of children. Organizations that can sponsor summer food sites include a public or private nonprofit food authority, residential camp, or college or university participating in the National Youth Sports program; a unit of local, county, municipal, state or federal government; or any other type of a private nonprofit organization.
Site and sponsor applications are available online at www.cde.state.co.us/cdenutritran/nutrisummer.htm. For more information, contact Ashley Moen with the Colorado Department of Education, Office of School Nutrition, at moen_a@cde.state.co.us or (303) 866-6653.
Hunger Free Colorado, the state’s leading anti-hunger organization, works with schools and local governments as well as faith and community-based partners to increase participation in child nutrition programs—like the Summer Food Service Program—to ensure that all children have access to nutritious food year-round. To learn more about Hunger Free Colorado, the issues and solutions surrounding hunger and how you can be a part of the solution, visit HungerFreeColorado.org. For more on the statewide summer food program, visit SummerFoodColorado.org
Media Contact: Michelle Ray, Hunger Free Colorado, (720) 432-0255
Ashley Moen, Colorado Dept. of Education, (303) 866-6653