2025 Summer Food

For some states, the SUN Meals To-Go program has just begun, and for others, the option is still to be explored. Get inspired to collaborate with others to serve rural summer meals in your state by hearing about the successes and challenges from the Meals To You Alaska demonstration project’s first year in operation.

As a first-year sponsor of the SFSP serving congregate meals, there is much to learn, including the distinct differences between summer food and other federally funded food programs. Examine a new sponsor’s dive into the program, knowledge and strategies gained, and how you can make effective changes to maximize opportunities for both sponsor and sites.

Curious to see how Texas implemented non-congregate feeding in Summer 2024? Learn about the challenges faced in implementing a full non-congregate program in a short timeframe, the lessons learned, common issues and observations, and best practices for operators wishing to serve non-congregate SFSP meals in Summer 2025.

Are you curious about implementing SFSP Non-Congregate Meals (NCM) into your summer feeding options? Hear how an Arizona-based food bank discovered qualifying populations, operational implementation, and successes in reaching rural communities with an added perspective of administering the option to children in tribal communities.

How could one agency provide hundreds of thousands of meals during the summer of 2024 in several locations throughout two states? Parental pickup and home delivery services!  Enhance your program and reach more children by understanding what worked (and what didn’t).

The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) developed an interactive map to provide state and sponsor users with a common tool to easily determine which summer sites are eligible to offer non-congregate services. Learn how spatial analysis was used to streamline reviewing multiple eligibility criteria and how the map’s interface was designed to support intuitive user interaction.

Want to start a summer meal program but lack the budget? Learn how you can run a program with minimal resources and a few friends. Discover creative strategies to build a strong social network and community connections to provide meals for kids in need. Get the basics of managing a summer meal program, including tips on securing donations, partnering with businesses, and involving volunteers.

Remember transitioning from SFSP congregate meals to passing out sack meals because of COVID-19 and the difficulties associated with the process? Travel through 19 years of how one nonprofit moved from congregate to non-congregate meals while increasing the meals served. See how you, too, can service rural children in a non-congregate manner, no matter your population size or state.