2025 NCNC
Navigating Non-Congregate SFSP Meals in Rural and Tribal Areas
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.
Read MoreMaximizing SUN Programs Across Two State Agencies
USDA has created its exciting new SUN branding to unify Sun Bucks, Sun Meals-To-Go, and Sun Meals as a family of Summer Nutrition Programs for Kids! But what happens when these are administered by more than a single state agency? Overworked and short-staffed agencies can coordinate via partnerships to co-market and maximize program participation. Learn how the magic happens in North Carolina.
Read MoreLessons Learned: A Bright Future for SFSP Non-Congregate
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).
Read MoreInnovative Mapping Tools to Plan for Summer
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.
Read MoreFunding Summer on a Shoestring and a Friend
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.
Read MoreFrom 30 Summer Lunches to 400 Grab and Go Meals in 2 Easy Moves
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.
Read MoreStraw Bales: A New Way to Garden
Straw bale gardening can be a fun and affordable way to create a garden, even on paved surfaces or in areas with poor soil. It also offers several advantages over traditional gardening methods. Learn an enjoyable and environmentally conducive way of growing your vegetables with versatility that won’t break the bank.
Read MoreHarvest of the Month: Local Food Exploration & Learning for Littles
Are you interested in finding resources and ideas to engage kids in exploring and learning about new foods? Discover how Harvest of the Month resources can help you discuss exploring local foods and incorporate Farm to CACFP concepts in your child care setting.
Read MoreFresh Foods, Flavors and Kitchen Ingredients
Do you feel as if the food you serve is bland and lacks appeal? Is serving fresh fruits and vegetables hard to implement? Learn why indoor gardening is Farm to CACFP together with which essential ingredients you can use to keep sodium down, sugar low and still add tons of flavor while staying within the CACFP guidelines.
Read MoreFind Your Farmer: Enrich Farm to ECE Through Producer Relationships
Farm to ECE enhances community access to healthy and local foods by changing food purchasing practices, elevating food and agricultural education, and strengthening local food economies. Explore the National Farm to School Network’s role in supporting ECE programs, steps for connecting with local producers for procurement, and innovative approaches to food purchasing.
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