NEWS RELEASE

Date: Feb. 1, 2006
Contact: Stephanie Goodman (512) 424-6951

Organizations Needed for Kids’ Summer Food Program

AUSTIN — Millions of low-income children have nutritious meals during the school year through the federal school breakfast and lunch program. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is looking for organizations to help make sure those children don’t go hungry once school lets out.

“We serve more and more kids every summer,” said Texas Health and Human Services Executive Commissioner Albert Hawkins. “Local organizations provide the resources that make the program work.”

Last summer, 355 sponsors served more than 12 million meals to children across the state, an increase of more than 875,000 meals over 2004.

HHSC’s Summer Food Services Program reimburses approved sponsors for serving up to two healthy meals to low-income children through age 18 when school is not in session. Meal service sites can be located in a variety of settings including schools, recreation centers, playgrounds, parks, churches, community centers, day camps, housing projects and migrant centers. Sponsors can prepare meals in a central kitchen or obtain them from any number of sources, including government agencies, school districts or commercial food-service companies.

"The need for nutritious meals doesn't end when school lets out and the cafeteria closes," said Hawkins. "Our summer program helps these children continue to get healthy meals throughout the summer so they are better able to continue learning when they return to school."

The program is offered statewide in areas or at sites where more than 50 percent of the children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Program. In addition to the statewide need for sponsors to provide end-of-summer meal sites, special efforts are underway to sign up providers in these high-need, low-income areas: Andrews, Bonham, Breckenridge, Brookshire, Childress, Columbus, Dublin, Dumas, Emory, Ennis, Ferris, Galveston, Graham, Grand Saline, Kerrville, La Grange, Lancaster, Lewisville, Llano, Midlothian, Palmer, Port Arthur, Rockport, Rockwall, Round Rock, San Saba, Seminole, Sullivan, Wharton and Winnie.

Organizations eligible to sponsor the program include schools, non-profit residential summer camps, government agencies and tax-exempt organizations.

Potential sponsors are required to take training courses offered in several Texas cities before participating in the Summer Food Service Program. Training begins in February for early applicants. For more information, call (512) 420-2449.