(Idaho State) The Idaho Department of Education is again seeking sponsors for the 2025 Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). The SFSP provides free meals and snacks to children 1 – 18 years of age by operating sites located in low-income areas during the summer months.
The Idaho Foodbank reports that food insecurity, meaning limited or uncertain access to the food needed to meet basic needs, in Idaho varies statewide, but is often higher in rural areas. During the summer months, the challenge of reaching children and families in need of support increases. The SFSP helps to bridge this gap by providing children with nutritious meals while school is not in session.
The Idaho Department of Education collaborates with community partners to provide meals to children during the summer months. Sponsors are reimbursed for each qualifying breakfast, lunch, snack and/or supper they serve at approved sites.
For the 2025 program year, sponsors may be, but are not limited to:
- Public or private nonprofit schools;
- public or private nonprofit residential camps;
- local, municipal, county, tribal or state governments;
- public or private nonprofit colleges or universities that participate in the National Youth Sports Program; and
- Upward Bound programs, religious organizations, libraries and private nonprofit organizations.
“I encourage any potential sponsors thinking about signing up to consider how impactful this service can be for kids, particularly in our state’s rural and remote areas,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield.
Sponsors are sought all across the state, especially in rural areas where coverage gaps exist. Sponsors in rural areas also have the option to participate in non-congregate meal services, allowing for meals to be picked up and consumed offsite.
Areas of need include:
Region 1:
- The SFSP lacks sponsors in Boundary and Shoshone counties. More coverage is needed in Benewah County.
Region 2:
- The SFSP lacks sponsors in Clearwater County. More coverage is needed in Idaho, Latah, Lewis and Nez Perce counties.
Region 3:
- The SFSP lacks sponsors in Owyhee County. More coverage is needed in Adams, Boise, Elmore and Washington counties.
Region 4:
- The SFSP lacks sponsors in Camas County. More coverage is needed in Lincoln County.
Region 5:
- The SFSP lacks sponsors in Caribou County. More coverage is needed in Bear Lake, Oneida, Power and Preston counties.
Region 6:
- The SFSP lacks sponsors in Butte, Custer, Fremont and Teton counties. More coverage is needed in Lemhi County.
All sponsors, new and returning, are required to attend training at a location most convenient for them and must complete the application process. The 2025 training schedule for sponsors is as follows:
SFSP 101 Training:
- March 11 | 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. MT | Pocatello
- March 13 | 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. MT | Meridian
- March 18 | 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. PT | Lewiston
SFSP Rural Non-Congregate Training:
- March 4 | 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. MT | Virtual
- March 6 | 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. MT | Virtual
Application information will be provided to eligible sponsors and is due to the Idaho Department of Education by May 2. Department approval is required prior to program operation.
For more information on becoming an SFSP sponsor or a feeding site, call (208) 332-6828 or visit https://www.sde.idaho.gov/cnp/sfsp/.
USDA Nondiscrimination Statement
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
- mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
- fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
- email:Program.Intake@usda.gov