Applications Now Accepted for Summer Meals Program 

Published on Thursday, February 01, 2024

PROVIDENCE, RI – The Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (RIDE) has announced that it is now accepting applications for organizations interested in participating in the 2024 Summer Food Service Program for children. The program, financed through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service, provides free meals to children from targeted communities and is designed to maintain and expand nonprofit food programs for children during the summer months. 

“Hunger can be detrimental to a child’s healthy growth and development, and we know that when school is out, it is tougher for some families to access heathy meals,” said Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green. “We encourage organizations interested in helping us fight hunger during the summer break to sign up to participate in our Summer Meals Program.”

To participate in the summer program, sponsors must be public or private nonprofit school food authorities, organizations, residential summer camps, nonresidential day camps, or units of local or state governments. To be approved, a site must serve an area with at least 50 percent of the children eligible for free or reduced-price meals or qualify as a residential camp or a nonresidential day camp.  Meals must be made available to all children enrolled in the program without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age.  

For more information on the program or to see if your program qualifies for participation, please contact the Rhode Island Department of Education, Office of Statewide Efficiencies, at (401) 222-4253. Applications for participation during the 2024 summer season must be completed and approved prior to June 15, 2024; interested organizations should reach out no later than May 1, 2024 to start the application process.

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:

1. mail:
   
   U.S. Department of Agriculture
   
   Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
   
   1400 Independence Avenue, SW
   
   Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
2. fax:
   
   (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
3. email:
   
   Program.Intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Further, the Rhode Island Department of Education does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, race, color, religion, national origin or disability.  To file a complaint of discrimination with the State of Rhode Island, write to the Rhode Island Department of Education, Director, Office of Equity and Access, 255 Westminster Street, Providence, RI 02903 or call (401) 222-8979. 

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