TRENTON, N.J. — The New Jersey Department of Agriculture is seeking organizations to sponsor meal sites for its Summer Food Service Program, which provides free nutritious meals to children in low-income areas during the summer months.
New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Edward D. Wengryn encouraged eligible agencies to apply for the federally funded program, which began in 1976 as an extension of the National School Lunch Program.
The Summer Food Service Program is designed to serve children 18 years old and younger in economically disadvantaged communities. It is also open to individuals older than 18 who are mentally or physically disabled and participate in public or nonprofit private programs for the disabled.
The program reimburses participating organizations for meals served in areas where at least 50% of children qualify for free or reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Program.
Eligible applicants include public or private nonprofit school food authorities; local, municipal, county or state government agencies; public or private nonprofit organizations; residential summer camps; and national youth sports programs.
Organizations approved as sponsors are responsible for managing feeding sites that distribute meals to children.
Most sponsors may be reimbursed for up to two meals per day, including breakfast, lunch, dinner or snacks. Meals served on nights and weekends may also qualify for reimbursement. Sponsors serving primarily migrant children may be reimbursed for up to three meals per day. Residential camps may serve up to three meals daily but are reimbursed only for meals provided to children eligible for free or reduced-price meals.
In the 2025 school year, 17 school food authorities operating 29 sites participated in the National School Lunch Program’s Seamless Summer Option, providing 47,080 free lunches and 30,551 free breakfasts to children 18 and under. In 2025, 178 sponsors took part in the Summer Food Service Program, serving 4,469,314 meals statewide.
The Department of Agriculture’s Division of Food and Nutrition also administers several other programs, including School Nutrition Programs, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and The Emergency Food Assistance Program, which distributes federally donated food to emergency feeding organizations and more than 850 soup kitchens and food pantries across the state.
The deadline to submit new applications for the Summer Food Service Program is March 18, 2026. For more information, call 609-292-4498.
