What is the Summer Food Service Program?

The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) operates in communities to provide eligible children with the nutritious meals and snacks they need to learn, play and grow throughout the summer months when they are out of school.  SFSP is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), monitored by the Ohio Department of Education (ODE), and sponsored by Neighborhood Ministries or another ODE approved sponsor.

What is the need?

In suburban communities across the county, poverty is growing at a faster rate than in the cities, according to the 2010 report from the Brookings Institute called “State of Metropolitan of America.”  Struthers & Boardman are no exception, according to school statistics concerning the Free & Reduced Lunch program, an economic indicator for family units in our community.

Where might this site be located?

Our hope is that a Free Summer Lunch sites could be located close Struthers and Market Street Elementaries.  These schools have the highest enrollment (62% and 54% respectively) of Free & Reduced Lunch in their district.  As a result, we will be meeting one mile north of Market Street Elementary at Youngstown Christian School on Southern Blvd. in Boardman.  Site location has not been determined in Struthers, although there is several good possibilities.

This Free Summer Lunch site would be considered an Open Site since at least half of the children come from families with income that makes them eligible for free and reduced-price school meals.  Meals are served free to any child at an open site.

This would be sponsored by churches in Struthers, Girard and surrounding communities.  Transportation would be provided by parents/guardians unless we would be able to financially provide limited leased transportation.

How can you partner?

Share about Free Summer Lunch with other friends and leaders in the community like churches, businesses, civic organizations, etc.  Promote within your congregation to volunteer as a group or individually. Sponsor a week (or a particular weekday or maybe multiple weeks) with a volunteer team of adults, youth or both.  Support financially the Free Summer Lunch program monetarily or at-kind gifts.  

What is our time-line?

We continue to seek “verbal commitments” from church partners and help from the two school district(s).  We are working to secure a “financial commitment” from our partners in order to recruit and hire staff. Also, civic organizations and local businesses will start to be contacted for additional support.  By late winter and spring, we will continue to plan, organize, train and promote so that we can devote the summer of 2012 to love and serve.

What is the cost?

Expenses for the Free Summer Lunch program include liability insurance, supplies and a small leadership staff of 2-3 people. Our experience is that leadership that can be there every day for the length of the summer can better coordinate with parents, volunteers, site school staff and approved sponsor staff to provide effective leadership. Although some of these expenses could be donated or volunteered, an estimate for the 7 weeks is approximately $4,500. 

What is our experience?

A Free Summer Lunch program began in Austintown, OH in 2009 at Woodside Elementary under the vision and leadership of the Greater Austintown Ministerial Association (GAMA). Now known as “Camp Woodside” this past summer, we had approximately 35 kids daily over seven weeks in June and July, with the help of over 85 volunteers.  A second Free Summer Lunch site was started in 2011 in Boardman, OH at Youngstown Christian School sponsored by 9 different churches.