Health and Nutrition Services Announces the Availability of the 2023 Summer Food Service Program

The Arizona Department of Education Health and Nutrition Services (HNS) is pleased to announce the availability of the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) during summer 2023. The SFSP, also known as Summer Meals Program, was established by USDA to ensure that children, 18 years or younger, continue to receive nutritious meals when school is not in session. often, these children receive meals through the School Breakfast Program (SBP) or the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and may be at risk of access to nutrition during the summer months. 

Last summer, Arizona partnered with 282 sponsoring organizations overseeing 1,301 feeding locations and serving over 4.3 million meals! HNS encourages eligible organizations to start thinking about how to support your community this summer by applying as a sponsoring organization or participating as a feeding location. 

• Eligible SFSP sponsoring organizations include public and private nonprofit school food authorities, public or private nonprofit residential or nonresidential camps, local, municipal, county, or state governments, public or private colleges or universities participating in the National Youth Sports Program, and nonprofit organizations. Read more...

The teams at HNS can help new programs get started or advise returning programs on how to expand program access and establish new feeding locations. Organizations can email [email protected] or call (602) 542-8700 to be connected with an HNS Specialist. 

Upcoming Events and Deadlines:

• Tuesday, April 4, 1:30-2:30 - Webinar: Staying on Track Summer Edition

The application deadlines and details will be announced in the coming months.