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Texas Summer Food Program
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Email: ld@tsl.texas.gov
Texas Summer Food Program
To Be Well Read ... You Must Be Well Fed
Public Libraries and the USDA Summer Food Service Program
Summer is the hungriest time of the year. During the school year, 2.8 million Texas students receive free or reduced-priced meals, yet only a fraction of these children receive free meals during the summer. Without consistent and quality nutrition, they are more likely to become sick, have less energy, and have difficulty focusing on reading and learning. These children may fall further behind in reading and experience more summer learning loss. The good news is that free and healthy meals are available to children and teens through age 18 at Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) sites throughout Texas and the U.S.
Summer Meals in Texas Public Libraries Resources
Learn how a Texas public library can participate in the summer meals program in this recorded discussion between TSLAC's Youth Services Consultant, Katelyn Patterson, the Texas Department of Agriculture's representative Catherine Wright Steele, and No Kid Hungry representative Mia Media.
Date of recording: February 2025
Helpful links:
- No Kid Hungry Texas Grants
- No Kid Hungry Best Practices for Summer Meals in Public Libraries
- No Kid Hungry Summer Meals Toolkit
- TDA Food and Nutrition Data on OpenData (find food sites and sponsors here)
- Find a School District (who might be a sponsor) in your area
- Find a Food Pantry (who might be a sponsor) in your area
- Determine if your site qualifies for the summer meal program
- Determine if your site qualifies as rural for non-congregation service
The SFSP is a federally funded program that enables libraries, school districts, churches, WIC clinics, and other eligible organizations to serve free, healthy meals to low-income children and teens through age 18 during the summer months. The program is administered by the United States Department of Agriculture and the Texas Department of Agriculture and is available in areas where at least 50% of children are eligible for free and reduced price lunch.
Too many Texas children do not know if there will be food for their next meal. As trusted public spaces and community centers, libraries are at the heart of their communities and they welcome children during summer vacations. Libraries can help alleviate food insecurity by participating in the SFSP and serving meals and snacks to hungry children in conjunction with their summer programs. Furthermore, participation in summer programs increases, and new families visit libraries and discover valuable resources and services. On the other hand, libraries can bring resources and art, literacy, and STEM programs to SFSP sites at schools and other organizations in their communities. However it’s executed, through this essential and underutilized program, libraries nourish children's bodies, educate their minds, enrich their lives, and support success in school and beyond as highlighted by Commissioner Sid Miller of the Texas Department of Agriculture in his Invitation (Opens PDF Doc) to Texas Public Libraries to participate.
- Texas Department of Agriculture - Summer Feeding Programs
- Area Eligibility Using Census Data - Visit this link or check with your local school district to see if your community is eligible to participate
- Coronavirus Updates for Contracting Entities
- United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Summer Meals ToolKit
- Lunch at the Library - California Library Association and the California Summer Meal Coalition
- The Feeding Texas network
- Share Our Strength No Kid Hungry Campaign
- Texas Hunger Initiative Summer Meals Expansion, Baylor University
- USDA Partnering with Libraries (Opens PDF Doc)
- Texas Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Program Statistics
- Literature Study
- No Kid Hungry
Locate the nearest summer food site or help families find sites with these resources.
- Texas Department of Agriculture Meal Site Map
- Map of Library Summer Meal Sites
- Texans may call 211 or text FoodTx to 877-877 to find meal sites nearby
- USDA: Find Summer Meals Sites (Information about sites for this summer will be added as they register)
- Range App (links to the nearest free meal site)
Many school districts, cities, counties, and food banks are Sponsors that provide meals and snacks served at libraries. These are some of the organizations that are Sponsors for Texas public libraries.
- Texas Department of Agriculture Resources for Summer Meal Programs (Downloadable Bookmarks, Door Hangers, Parent Information Card, Posters, Web Banner, Yard Signs in Spanish and English)
- USDA Summer Food, Summer Moves Resource Kit (Downloadable Activity Guides, Posters, Flyers, Placemat, Recipes and more in Spanish and English)
For questions regarding implementing the USDA Summer Food Service Program, please contact:
The Texas Department of Agriculture information line at (877) TEX-MEAL or 877-839-6325 will direct you to the appropriate Child Nutrition Staff in your area for assistance.