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The Summer Food Service Program was created in 1976 to ensure that children in lower income areas could continue to receive nutritious meals during the summer months when school breakfasts and lunches are not available. The program provides breakfasts and lunches to children and teenagers, 18 years and younger, at approved sites. Persons over 18 years of age who have been determined mentally or physically handicapped and who participate in a public or private nonprofit school program for the handicapped during the school year are eligible to receive the meal benefits.
In order to qualify, sites must meet certain criteria and comply with specific conditions as follows.
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Sites must meet the requirements for meal service preparation, meal distribution, and accountability |
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Sites must have proper capacity and logistics for those enrolled |
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Site programs must offer educational, cultural, and/or recreational activities |
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Site staffing must provide supervision, meal service monitoring, and training |
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Sites must maintain proper health and sanitation conditions |
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Sites must keep daily records and issue periodic reports |
Once these conditions are satisfied, eligibility to participate in the Summer Food Service Program is determined by geographic or enrollment data. Sponsors must document that at least 50 percent of the children who live in the area from which the site draws its attendance are eligible for free and reduced price meals in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs or that at least 50 percent of the enrolled children at each site have that same eligibility. Geographic eligibility is documented by using either school data or census tract data. Once a site is qualified to participate in the Summer Food Service Program, all children at the site receive the meals or snacks served.
In Montgomery County there were a total of 79 sites operating during the summer of 2007. In addition to Montgomery County Public School summer school sites, there are many community-based sites. These sites include City of Gaithersburg, City of Rockville, Montgomery County Recreation Department, Housing, daycare and church based locations.
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2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
| Operating Days |
40 |
44 |
50 |
54 |
51 |
50 |
| Sites |
79 |
81 |
83 |
80 |
80 |
79 |
| Breakfasts |
83,454 |
87,088 |
81,903 |
80,043 |
91,027 |
103,367 |
| Lunches |
135,676 |
134,876 |
131,435 |
127,297 |
128,121 |
134,856 |
| Total Meals |
219,130 |
221,964 |
213,338 |
207,340 |
219,148 |
238,223 |
For more information, contact the Division of Food and Nutrition Services 301-840-8170.
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