January 30, 2006

The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) is looking for community sponsors to run summer food programs to prevent more than 300,000 children in low-income areas of Michigan from going hungry when school lunchrooms close for the summer.

For many of these children, USDA’s Summer Food Program for Children could fill the summer hunger gap if enough sponsors are signed up to run the food program. Last year only 34,000 low-income Michigan children were able to eat free meals or snacks at an approved summer food program site in their neighborhood.

“We need more organizations to sponsor these crucial summer food programs for our children,” said State Board of Education President Kathleen N. Straus. “The summer meals program is a building block in the community for healthy, happy kids who are ready to learn. The need is there and the food is available. Now we need more locations to serve the children.”

To sponsor the program this summer, organizations need to contact MDE by March 10, 2006. Applications and sponsor information may be obtained from MDE’s Office of Grants Coordination and School Support Services, Summer Food Service Program, 608 W. Allegan Street, PO Box 30008, Lansing, Michigan 48909, (517) 373-3347; or on the MDE website at: www.michigan.gov/sfsp .

The Summer Food Service Program is targeted to children up to age 18 living in low-income areas (where 50 percent or more of the students qualify for free or reduced price school meals). The program operates in schools, public housing centers, playgrounds, camps, parks, and churches. Sponsors can be public or nonprofit private schools or school districts; public or private nonprofit residential summer camps; local, county or state government agencies; colleges or universities participating in the National Youth Sports Program; or private nonprofit organizations.

Sponsors receive federal payments for both the meals served to children and the administrative costs of serving the meals. New sponsors also receive training and technical assistance from Michigan Department of Education.

The Summer Food Service Program administered by MDE through funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture is available to children regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability.

NOTE: For media outlets wanting to localize this press release, the attached docoment has a county-by-county list showing the number of schools with at least 50 percent of their students receiving free and reduced lunch; and the number of students eligible for the Summer Food Service Program. To find the current program sponsors in your county, link to: http://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,1607,7-140-6530_6569_34491-113483--,00.html