Feeding Texas Kids Online

For 22% of Texas children, summer can mean malnutrition and hunger.

During the school year, children in need receive breakfast and lunch through free and reduced in-school programs. But what happens when school lets out? For one out of every five kids in Texas, summer can mean food insecurity—not knowing where their next meal will come from. Hunger, or more accurately inadequate nutrition, is one of the most severe roadblocks to the learning process. Children suffering from hunger and food insecurity are especially at risk of not performing to the best of their potential in school and other learning environments. Lack of nutrition during the summer months sets up a cycle for poor performance once school begins again. Hunger prevents children not only from performing well in school, but also from maintaining a healthy lifestyle—making them more prone to illness and other health issues.

Ironically, hunger
is linked to obesity.

The reality is, simply providing food is not enough. Texas children not only are at risk for hunger, but also face one of the nation’s highest rates of obesity. Often, the cheapest foods have the highest fat and calorie count and therefore, the least nutritional value. Texas children today are likely to be the first generation to have a shorter life expectancy than the generation before them. Poor nutrition is one of the main factors. While providing food is necessary, it is important to provide the right types of foods—and providing healthy foods is one of the top priorities of the summer food program.

42% of 4th graders in Texas are obese or over-weight.

The Summer Food Service Program provides healthy food when it’s needed the most.

The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is an opportunity to provide nutritious meals to children who need it most when school is out for the summer. A program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA), SFSP not only addresses the related issues of hunger and obesity, but also can provide safe access to nature and outdoor recreational opportunities to children who have limited parental supervision during the summer months. SFSP participation can be coordinated with other youth outreach opportunities such as summer camps, summer religious education programs, youth day events, or mission outreach activities.
According to the TDA, about 2.3 million children receive free or reduced, nutritionally balanced lunches at school each day under the National School Lunch Program, but only about 12% of these children receive nutrition from the SFSP during the summer. While funding is available, there simply are not enough sites, sponsors, and volunteers to reach everyone who is eligible. Members of faith communities are vitally important in bridging this gap. By participating in the SFSP, congregations and community organizations play a significant role in promoting healthy communities and securing the health of future generations.

The funding is there.
The program is there.
What’s needed to make it work? YOU.

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Ways faith communities can help make summer food work

✔ Providing volunteers.
The most immediate goal of the Summer Food Service Program is to provide nutritious meals to children in high-need areas when school is out for the summer months. This takes volunteers—and lots of them—especially in July and August. By increasing the number of volunteers and creating a summer-long effort, Texas can begin to tackle the more difficult issues of food insecurity and obesity.
For more information on how to provide volunteers, see page 8.

✔ Becoming a feeding site.
Only about 12% of the children eligible for the benefits of the summer food program actually receive food. The primary reason? Not enough feeding sites. Your congregation can be especially helpful in this aspect since churches or faith-based facilities are often recognizable locations in a community. Organizations that are not able to sponsor because of financial or other reasons can still actively participate in the summer food program by becoming a feeding site. It is not necessary to commit to providing summer food access every day. However, once a schedule is determined, reliable participation and commitment is necessary. You can coordinate site participation with your other youth outreach programs.
For more information on how to become a feeding site, see page 10.

✔ Becoming a sponsor.
Becoming a sponsor requires the highest level of commitment. Sponsoring means acting as the organizer, or the involved administrator for SFSP sites—ensuring the success of the SFSP in your community. If you currently have a well-organized feeding program, soup kitchen or pantry that provides meals, you may be an ideal candidate. Sponsors should be able to provide a capable staff, managerial skills, and food service abilities. As a sponsor, you will attend TDA’s training; locate eligible sites; hire, train, and supervise staff; arrange for meals to be prepared or delivered and monitor your sites.
For more information on how to become a sponsor, see page 14.

✔ Creating a community garden.
A community garden is a low-cost way to help provide healthy and nutritious food to SFSP sites, food banks, or other feeding programs. Church, school, and community center grounds are good locations for a community garden. These gardens provide an ideal activity for children. What better way to learn healthy eating habits than to grow and prepare your own meals from the garden?
For more information on how to create a community garden, see page 18.

✔ Creating nature activities.
Help make the summer feeding program exciting and inviting by providing youth with fun, outdoor activities. Leading community gardening efforts, organizing tours of local farms or farmers markets, partnering with a local park or Texas Parks and Wildlife to lead nature-based activities, or organizing physical activities and outside games are just a few ideas for how your congregation can help.
For more information on how to provide volunteers, see page 20.

✔ Supporting your local food bank.
The Texas Food Bank Network and food pantries are integral components of the Summer Food Service Program. Congregations can work with local food banks to increase donations of healthy food for the SFSP by offering their location as a site, through outreach assistance, or by providing volunteers to create summer programs and activities for youth.
For more information on how to provide volunteers, see page 22.

✔ Getting the word out.
Congregations can educate their members and the public about the Summer Food Service Program and how it tackles the issues of childhood obesity and food insecurity in Texas. The more people know about the issues, the more likely they are to help. And it’s important to promote your programs and activities—about 88% of the children who are eligible to participate in SFSP don’t receive food, and surveys show that parents don’t know the program is available to their kids.
For more information on how to provide volunteers, see page 24.

QUESTIONS? Call (888)TEX-KIDS
or e-mail squaremeals@TexasAgriculture.gov.

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Step-By-Step
Providing volunteers

Volunteers are vital to a successful Summer Food Service Program and faith-based organizations are ideal places to recruit volunteers for this program. Volunteers can help with the basics such as delivering food or transportation services. They can also help create activities and events that attract youth and help forge healthy habits and life skills.

1. Connect with your local sponsor or site.
Volunteers at a local SFSP site or food bank can:
❑ Help the site supervisor create a serving schedule.
❑ Help with training, background checks or completing other documentation a feeding site may require.

2. Provide programming.
Programming is what keeps children coming back and learning. Outdoor activities, games, field trips, and gardening will help your SFSP to be one that not only provides food but also helps to inspire a healthy lifestyle. Volunteers in your congregation can help by:
❑    Providing outdoor education or supervisng kids while they play outside.
❑    Creating a kids community garden. These gardens help educate youth about healthy foods and give them the opportunity to connect with nature.
❑    Organizing and leading field trips to a local farm, farmers’ market, nature center or state park.

At-A-Glance
Providing volunteers

The most immediate goal of the Summer Food Service Program is to provide nutritious meals to children in high-need areas when school is out for the summer months. This takes volunteers—and lots of them— especially in July and August. By increasing the number of volunteers and creating a summer-long effort, Texas can begin to tackle the more difficult issues of food scarcity and obesity.

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Step-By-Step
Becoming a feeding site

Feeding sites are the medium through which children actually receive the food provided by the SFSP. Sites work in partnership with sponsors to get meals to the children in need. Congregations are uniquely suited to providing feeding sites since they are often recognizable locations in a community. Providing a site also offers the opportunity to offer outreach and education by providing welcoming and exciting programs. Sites are especially needed in rural areas.

What’s the difference between a site and a sponsor?
Sponsors are the organizations that run SFSP in the local community. Sites are the physical locations where the food is served. Each site must have a sponsor that is financially and administratively responsible for the site (or, usually, a number of sites in a local area).

A sponsor may prepare its own meals, purchase meals through an agreement with an area school, or contract for meals with a food service management company (vendor). The sponsor often arranges for meals to be prepared at a central location and then has them delivered to a number of sites according to the number of children each site serves.

If your site has its own kitchen, you may want to prepare meals yourself. If your kitchen is not on the premises, you may still want to prepare your own meals, and then transport them to the site.

School districts, municipal park programs and food banks are examples of large local organizations that often serve as SFSP sponsors. If there is a large local organization already functioning as a sponsor in your area, it may be simplest for your congregation to become a site for that sponsor. Sites can sign up for SFSP through the early part of the summer, but sponsors must apply by April 15, so it’s a good idea to find a sponsoring organization early in the year if your congregation wants to be a site.

Requirements for operating a site include:
✔ Attending your sponsor’s training.
✔ Supervising activities and meal service at your site.
✔ Distributing meals by following SFSP guidelines.
✔ Keeping daily records of meals served.
✔ Storing food appropriately.
✔ Keeping the site clean and sanitary.

Setting a schedule.
It is not necessary to commit to providing summer food access every day of the summer. If you would like to operate as a site, but do not wish to maintain one all summer long, you can set a schedule that works with your current outreach activities. Your site can operate for a defined period and schedule, such as once per week or only for July and August. However, once a schedule is determined, reliable participation and commitment is necessary. You’ll be able to work out the details once you establish a partnership with your local sponsor.

Working with your sponsor.
The working relationship between a sponsor and their sites is key to the success of SFSP. You will learn about the expectations of sites and sponsors at your required training. The USDA Site Supervisors’ Guide is an important resource that will help make your experience as an SFSP site pleasant and rewarding. The guide is available at http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Summer/library/handbooks.html.

At-A-Glance
Becoming a feeding site

Only about 12% of the children eligible for the benefits of the summer food program actually receive food because there aren’t enough feeding sites. Organizations that do not possess sponsoring capabilities, but still want to participate in the summer food program can act as a site. You can coordinate your site participation with other youth outreach programs that you operate such as summer camps, vacation religious education, youth day events, or mission/service activities.

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Feeding Site Checklist

If you have available space and committed volunteers, and you meet eligibility requirements, you may be able to run a SFSP site. Once your congregation is committed, you can begin planning for the summer.

In the SFSP system, food sites are supervised by sponsors, who report to and are reimbursed by the Texas Department of Agriculture.

1. Determine current need for sites.
Find out if there is a need for more sites in your area or if it would be more beneficial for you to partner with current sites and sponsors in your area. Start by:
❑ Contacting your TDA Community Operations Office to find out if there is a need for more sites in your area.
❑ Working with your TDA Community Operations Office office to determine if any local sponsors are in need of sites. Find your TDA office at http://netx.squaremeals.org/snp/apo/index.html.

2. Complete a site application.
The deadline for sponsors to apply is April 15, 2010. Sites can apply until as late as mid-June subject to the availability of sponsors, but since sponsors need to know as much about their sites as possible when they apply, the earlier your congregation can commit, the better.

3. Establish your site.
Site eligibility is determined based on the number of families in the area who qualify for free or reduced school meals, the poverty rate in your area, and the type of site you decide to run. If you are eligible and an area sponsor is willing to sponsor your site, then move on to the planning steps. If there are no available sponsors or your eligibility is in question but you have committed volunteers, you can provide volunteers for other sites in need. Your current summer youth programs (such as summer camps, VBS, etc.) may serve as sites, if eligibility requirements are met and maintained.
❑ Contact your TDA Community Operations Office to find out poverty level numbers or free/reduced lunch rates for your area (rate charts available in this toolkit, on page 28).
❑ With your sponsor, decide what type of site you will operate and what dates the site will run.

4. Designate a site supervisor.
The Site Supervisor will be responsible for:
❑    Record-keeping for the site.
❑    Maintaining other necessary paperwork.
❑    Serving as a liaison with the site sponsor.
❑    Planning and organizing daily activities at the site.

5. Determine a training schedule.
❑ Determine when your site sponsor is facilitating training sessions and have your volunteers and site supervisor attend.

6. Plan a meal strategy.
❑ Coordinate with your sponsor regarding your site’s sources for meals.
❑ Decide what type of meals you will serve. This is your opportunity to use your organization’s philosophy on healthy foods and sustainability to make an impact on the types of food you provide.

7. Plan additional healthy activities.
❑ With your team and sponsor, decide what sort of activities you will offer during the summer months alongside the Summer Food Service Program. The combination of healthy foods and physical education will allow your SFSP to promote unique and important values.

8. Prepare site needs list.
❑ Communicate with your sponsor about what is needed to prepare your site for the summer.

9. Plan outreach campaigns.
❑ Plan outreach events to get your community and neighborhood excited about the program.

10. Kick off your summer food program!

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Step-By-Step
Becoming a sponsor

Sponsors are vital to ensuring that the SFSP program in Texas runs efficiently and that all kids who are eligible and in need of adequate nutrition during the summer months are served. If your faith-based organization has the resources, is willing to dedicate time to the Summer Food Service Program, and has the full support of your pastor or faith leader, then becoming a sponsor might be your opportunity to provide maximum support.

What are the current challenges?
According to Feeding America (www.feedingamerica.org), seventeen million children in the United States receive free or reduced-price lunches during the school year, but only about two million of these children participate in the SFSP. One problem is that not enough organizations are participating in this summer food assistance plan—getting more sponsors is essential to making the SFSP successful.

Who can be a sponsor?
To be eligible, your organization must fit at least one of the following categories:
✔ Public or private nonprofit schools
✔ Units of local, municipal, county, tribal, or state government
✔ Private nonprofit organizations
✔ Public or private nonprofit camps
✔ Public or private nonprofit universities or colleges

What does sponsoring mean?
First of all, it is especially important that your organization be fully committed, financially capable, and eligible to act as a sponsor for the SFSP before applying to be a sponsor. Typically, organizations that already operate one or more local social services are the best candidates to become an SFSP sponsor. Sponsors should be able to provide a capable staff, managerial skills, and food service abilities.

As a sponsor, you will:
✔     Attend your state agency’s training
✔     Locate eligible sites
✔     Hire, train, and supervise staff
✔     Arrange for meals to be prepared or delivered
✔     Monitor your sites
✔     Prepare claims for reimbursement

Sponsoring translates to acting as the guide, or the involved administrator for SFSP sites. Your organization will be responsible for ensuring the success of the SFSP in your community. Monitors need to maintain the accountability of their partnering sites and secure the proper exercise of duties at these sites.

A guide for SFSP sponsors is available from TDA at
http://netx.squaremeals.com/SNP/summerfood/sponsors/index.html.

At-A-Glance
Becoming a sponsor
Becoming a sponsor requires the highest level of commitment. Sponsoring means acting as the guide, or the involved mentor for SFSP sites—ensuring the success of the SFSP in your community. If you currently have a well-organized feeding program, soup kitchen or pantry that provides meals, you may be an ideal candidate. Sponsors should be able to provide a capable staff, managerial skills, and food service abilities. As a sponsor, you will attend your state agency’s training; locate eligible sites; hire, train, and supervise staff; arrange for meals to be prepared or delivered and monitor your sites.

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Sponsor Checklist

Becoming a sponsor requires the highest level of commitment. If you are interested in participating in the Summer Food Service Program as a sponsor, it is important to get the process started early in the year. Completed applications are due to the Texas Department of Agriculture by April 15, 2010.

1. Determine need for sponsors in your area.
❑    Contact your TDA area office to find out if sponsors are needed in your area. Find the office in your area at http://netx.squaremeals.com/SNP/apo/index.html.
❑    Determine program eligibility. Sponsors of SFSP sites must document program eligibility based on the poverty rate in the area. (For more information on eligibility, see page 28.)
❑    Determine if more than one site is needed in your area.
❑    Determine the number of sites you can effectively administer as a sponsor.

2. Decide what type of site(s) you will run.
❑ Choose an Open, Camp, or Enrolled Site. See page 28 for details regarding each type of site.
❑ Evaluate your proposed sites on whether the site can offer quality meal service, quality activities, and adequate serving capacity.

3. Gather necessary documentation.
❑ Gather necessary documentation for your TDA application and submit your application by April 15, 2010. Download an application at
http://netx.squaremeals.com/SNP/summerfood/sponsors/index.html.

4. Register for TDA training.

❑ Once your organization has gone through the application process and has had its site(s) approved, you can move on to other duties.

5. Appoint site supervisors.
❑ Schedule and provide training for site supervisors and other staff.
❑ Coordinate with supervisors and facility leaders on what dates your SFSP will run.

6. Decide a meal plan strategy.
This is your opportunity as a site sponsor to use your organization’s philosophy on healthy foods and sustainability to influence the types of food your sites will provide. You may choose to develop partnerships with food banks, local TDA representatives, local farmers’ markets and garden co-ops, or other entities.
❑ Coordinate with your site supervisors on sources for meals.
❑ Decide what type of meals you will serve.

7. Plan additional healthy activities.
❑ With your team, decide what sort of activities you will offer during the summer months alongside the Summer Food Service Program. Promoting health and physical activity is a big part of what will make your SFSP successful.

8. Create awareness.
❑ Get your community excited about the program. Use the communication tips on pages 24-27 and the resources identified in that section to get started.

9. Kick off your summer food program!

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Step-By-Step
Creating a Community Garden

Starting a community garden or a gardening co-op at your congregation is a great way to assist the SFSP. Through a community garden you can provide healthy fresh vegetables, often the most cost prohibitive for families in need, to SFSP sites at a low cost to your program. Also, by involving children and youth from your congregation and the local community in planning, planting, and tending the garden, you will provide a valuable education experience and build a sense of community. There is no better way to learn healthy eating habits than to grow and prepare your own meals straight from the garden.

Gather information.
❑    Find out if there are any community gardens already in your area, and plan a visit if there are. Remember to bring along some interested friends from your congregation. You can locate some community gardens by visiting http://acga.localharvest.org/.
❑    Contact your local food bank to see if they are already partnered with local gardens. They might have information and resources to help you get started.
❑    Local gardening associations might also have information to share—and possibly volunteers willing to partner with you on a new garden project.
❑    Check with leaders and key committees at your congregation to enlist support and approval. Seek the enthusiastic support of your building and grounds committee, for example.
❑    Consider going organic with your garden to eliminate toxins from the food, create a safer environment for children to work in, and to help the environment.

Gather resources.
❑    Publicize the project within your congregation to ask for volunteers, materials, and cash donations.
❑    Contact local businesses to ask for donations of materials, equipment or volunteers.
❑    Publicize your project through neighborhood associations and other community organizations to invite your congregational neighbors to participate.
❑    Contact neighborhood schools to explore partnership possibilities.
Plant, grow, and harvest.
❑    Once you have all the information and resources you need, it is time to dig and plant!
❑    Consider turning the bed preparation or initial planting into a community-wide, celebratory event.
❑    Make sure that the garden is tended regularly.
❑    As food grows and is harvested, remember to celebrate the garden’s success as much as possible both in the congregation and in the larger community.

For more information and additional resources, visit:
http://www.iatp.org/faith/
http://www.sustainablefoodcenter.org/
http://www.kidsgardening.com/
http://www.growingpower.org/

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Step-By-Step
Creating Nature Opportunities

Chances are, when you were a youth you spent a good deal of time outside riding a bike, walking through the woods or fields near your house, collecting butterflies or playing in a nearby creek. Children today, for the most part, do not have those opportunities for many reasons—and it is harmful to their health and well-being. There is a growing body of evidence showing that children who spend more time outdoors playing are less likely to be at risk for weight-related diseases such as obesity and diabetes. Time outdoors in nature improves not just physical health, but also mental skills. Research also shows that childhood is a crucial time to instill a love of nature; children who love nature grow up to be adults who love nature and want to protect it.
The opportunity to help children spend more time outside being physically active and learning about nature is one of the best things that you can do to improve a child’s health and help instill a love and respect for creation.

Explore local possibilities.
❑    Find out what parks, nature centers, and community opportunities already exist in your area. Explore partnership or field-trip possibilities.
❑    Contact local governments and non-profit organizations to explore community-wide events that you might want to organize around, such as a creek clean-up day, trash pick-up event, or nature education event.
❑    Local farms, farmers’ markets, and nearby state parks make great field trips—call ahead to discuss bringing a group.

Gather resources.
❑    Begin with your congregational resources: talk to key committees and leaders who might be interested in your event or program. Be sure to include religious education leaders in the conversation.
❑    Don’t re-create the wheel: most likely, someone else has created a program before that you can replicate. Texas Parks and Wildlife and many local parks, for example, provide resources to help reconnect kids with nature and might be able to help.
❑    If you are interested in creating a program for children at your congregation such as a summer nature camp or after-school care program, reach out to local organizations that might have information, resources or expertise to share.
Plan, communicate, and launch.
❑    Plan for the practical nuts and bolts of your program—permission forms, transportation logistics, liability issues, volunteer recruitment and background checks, etc.
❑    Have a “plan B” in case the weather doesn’t cooperate with your planned event or activity.
❑    Use the communication guide on pages 24-27 to reach out both to your congregation and to the larger community.
❑    Sometimes new programs start out with a whisper; do not be discouraged. Be patient and persistent, celebrate every activity and success, and your program will grow. Remember that even if you make a difference in just one child’s life, you have done a world of good for that one child.

Here are some resources to help you provide a valuable nature experience:
Texas Outdoor Family, http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/learning/bof/
Texas Outdoor Kids, http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/kids/
Texas Outdoor Learning, http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/learning/
Nature Rocks, http://www.naturerocks.org/
National Council of Churches, http://nccecojustice.org/

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Step-by-Step
Supporting your local food bank

Another way to help expand SFSP outreach efforts is to work with and support local food banks and food pantries. The Texas Food Bank Network and food pantries are integral components of the SFSP, often supplying sites with food for the programs or acting as the local sponsor.

Your congregation may already support a food pantry by providing regular donations or volunteers. If so, contact the people in your congregation who coordinate those efforts to explore ways to help or ideas about expanding the partnership. If not, you should begin by contacting the food pantry in your area to explore ways to support their programs, especially during the summer when the needs for children are most critical.

Partnership and support possibilities.
❑    Collect regular donations for critically-needed items.
❑    Find ways to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to local food pantries (be sure to talk this through with the food pantry first). Sometimes local restaurants, produce markets and grocery stores can donate excess produce—they might just need volunteers from your congregation to help connect the produce to the food pantry.
❑    Create a community garden at your congregation to donate fresh foods.
❑    Solicit and coordinate donations of fresh food from people in the community that have backyard gardens.
❑    Provide volunteers for the local food pantry or a pre-existing SFSP program.
❑    Offer your congregation as a SFSP site.

You can find out more about your local food bank through the Texas Food Bank Network at http://www.endhungerintex.org/banks.asp. On the following page you can find contacts for your region.

Summer Meals / Child Nutrition Contacts
at Texas Food Banks
Provided by the Texas Food Bank Network, Endhungerintex.org
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North Texas Food Bank (Dallas)
Taylor Neher-Hanna
214-330-1396
taylor@ntfb.org

Tarrant Area Food Bank (Fort Worth)
Lori Pope
817-332-9177
lori.pope@tafb.org

Wichita Fallas Area Food Bank
Michelle Schuster
940-766-2322
mschuster@wfafb.org

High Plains Food Bank (Amarillo)
Leigh Fuller
806-374-8562
Leigh@hpfb.org

East Texas Food Bank (Tyler)
Brandi Lamberth
903-597-3663
blamberth@feedingamerica.org

Southeast Texas Food Bank (Beaumont) Grace Mathis
409-839-8777

Houston Food Bank
Ann Svendsen Sanchez
832-369-9210
asanchez@houstonfoodbank.org

Montgomery County Food Bank (Conroe)
Leah Robilotto
936-539-6686
leah_robilotto@consolidated.net

Brazos Valley Food Bank (Bryan)
Rhonda Behrens
979-779-3663
rhondab@bvfb.org

Capital Area Food Bank (Austin)
Sherry LeBlanc
512-282-2111
sleblanc@austinfoodbank.org
San Antonio Food Bank
Elizabeth Lutri
210-431-8331
Elutri@safoodbank.org

Food Bank of the Golden Crescent (Victoria) Ramona Hollan
361-578-0591
rhollan@feedingamerica.org

Corpus Christi Food Bank
Sylvia De La Cerda
361-887-6291
sdelacerda@feedingamerica.org

Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley (McAllen) Libby Salinas
956-682-8101
libbys@foodbankrgv.com

South Texas Food Bank (Laredo)
Gloria Jackson
956-726-3120
gjackson@southtexasfoodbank.org

West Texas Food Bank (Odessa / El Paso)
Hyta Folsom
432-580-NEED
hfolsom@feedingamerica.org

Food Bank of West Central Texas (Abilene)
Jody Houston
325 695-6311
jodyhouston@camalott.com

Concho Valley Food Bank (San Angelo)
Karen Haverlah
325-655-3231

South Plains Food Bank (Lubbock)
David Weaver
06-763-3003
dweaver@spfb.org

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Step-By-Step
Getting the word out

There are two major groups that will need information about your initiative: your congregational community (internal) and the larger community that will be served by the SFSP program (external). Depending on the size and scope of your project, you might want to establish two outreach teams to ensure adequate volunteer support, publicity, and participation—one team for congregational communication and one for communication with the community at large.

Getting the word out to your congregation.
While many congregations support food pantries, hunger programs, and other social outreach initiatives, not all are familiar with the Summer Food Service Program. Your ability to effectively transform potential volunteers into active SFSP assistants depends upon making them aware of the issues and opportunities for service. Increasing awareness of this program is a first step toward making a difference.

Faith communities need to know:
✔ About the issues of childhood obesity and food insecurity in Texas, and how their participation in the SFSP can make a difference.
✔ That the summer food program can work hand-in-hand with current outreach programs such as religious education, camps, and other summer youth programs.
✔ That resources may be available through the summer food program to help support current mission and social outreach youth programs.
Internal communication suggestions include:
❑    Put announcements in the order of service.
❑    Write an article for the newsletter about the program (be sure to include contact information for people to ask questions or to volunteer).
❑    Ask that the worship leader give a verbal announcement.
❑    Partner with interested groups in your congregation such as mission/outreach committees and men’s and women’s groups.
❑    Decorate a bulletin board in a common area.
❑    Distribute business card or postcard-sized flyers for announcements.
❑    Make an eye-catching sign for your volunteer or information table.
❑    Send e-mails to congregational lists. These can be more effective when the messages come from more than one person. Plan that a different person sends a different e-mail each week and then rotate.
❑    Hold a public informational event (and offer free childcare for the event).
❑    Put information on the congregational website and/or Facebook page.
❑    Here’s the most effective one: ask people in person to volunteer.
❑    Here’s the second most effective one: ask people over the phone to volunteer.

Getting the word out to the larger community.
Part of the reason that so many children who are eligible for SFSP programs don’t take advantage of them is that they do not know about the programs. Surveys indicate that most parents are not aware of SFSP sites in their neighborhoods. Faith communities can play an integral role in getting the word out to those in the larger community that need it. Priority audiences should be:

✔ Those in your congregation that are in need of assistance.
✔ People in the larger community who are eligible for the program.
✔ Service ministries that are involved in helping to provide social outreach.
✔ Community networks including businesses and organizations including other congregations, neighborhood associations, community organizations, schools, businesses and local agencies.

External communication suggestions include:
❑    Put a sign on congregational property with information about the program.
❑    Hold a public informational event (and offer free childcare for the event).
❑    Put information on the congregational website and/or Facebook page.
❑    Ask the neighborhood, community, or local newspaper to include information about your program.
❑    Ask the local school district or neighborhood schools about getting information about your program to families.
❑    Post informational flyers in local stores.
❑    Determine if you need multi-lingual promotional material.
❑    Call neighboring congregations and other community organizations and enlist their help in publicizing the program.
❑    With a small team of friendly volunteers, knock on doors in the neighborhood to offer information and answer questions.

Working with the media.

USDA and TDA encourage SFSP sites and sponsors to work with local media to promote specific SFSP sites, raise awareness about the program, and educate the public about childhood hunger and obesity. Visit http://netx.squaremeals.org/SNP/summerfood/sponsors/media_kit.html for a sample media kit to get you started.

Sample media messages include:
✔ Educating people about which children are eligible for the SFSP – that is, all children ages 1– 18.
✔ Reminding people that the meals are free.
✔ Educating people about the nutritional content of meals at the SFSP.
✔ Reminding parents and caretakers that it is not only important to eat well, but also to get enough exercise.
✔ Informing people about the other activities occurring at your site, in addition to meal service.

Visit www.texasfaithandfood.org for FAQs, discussion threads and more resources.

Educational materials are available to help you communicate the message and gather support for your outreach efforts. Existing sponsors such as your local food bank can be a useful source of information. National organizations such as Feeding America (http://feedingamerica.org) also have good information. Additional resources available on the Health and Strength and Daily Food website at http://www.texasfaithandfood.org.

_______________

Step-By-Step
Getting the word out

Working with the media.

Visit www.texasfaithandfood.org for FAQs, discussion threads and more resources.

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Who is eligible?

Certain guidelines must be met so the site and the sponsor can receive reimbursement. Income eligibility guidelines for participation in SFSP are updated annually; the table below shows guidelines for 2009. Check with TDA for annual updates.

There are three different types of sites:

Open Sites:
These operate in an area where 50% or more of the children living in the area are eligible for free and reduced school meals. If this requirement is met, then any child 18 or younger may participate in this program regardless of family income.

Closed Enrollment Sites:
Closed sites require children to register as participants or “enroll.” Again, if at least 50% of the enrolled children at the site are eligible for free and reduced school meals, the site can receive reimbursement.

Camp Sites:
Camps can be reimbursed only for those enrolled children who meet eligibility standards for free and reduced school meals. This type of site may be appropriate for religiously affiliated summer programs like VBS or camp programs.

For more information, contact your local Food and Nutrition Division Community Operations Office (COOs). Information about Texas’ ten COOs, including contact information, is available at http://netx.squaremeals.org/snp/apo/index.html.

Income Eligibility for Participation in SFSP (2009)
No. of Household Members    Annual Income    Monthly Income    Weekly Income
1    $20,036    $1,670    $386
2    $26,955    $2,247    $519
3    $33,874    $2,823    $652
4    $40,793    $3,400    $785
5    $47,712    $3,976    $918
6    $54,631    $4,553    $1,051
7    $61,550    $5,130    $1,184
8    $68,469    $5,706    $1,317
For each additional family member, add     +$6,919    +$577    +$134

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Reimbursement for meals

The Texas Department of Agriculture will provide you or your partnering sponsor with reimbursement for meals served, provided the meals you serve fulfill specific criteria. Providing nutritious meals and advancing healthy eating habits should be a priority of your involvement. Guidelines from USDA and TDA to help you get started are available at
http://netx.squaremeals.com/SNP/summerfood/sponsors/guides/index.html
http://www.mypyramid.gov/

❑    Unless circumstances such as food allergies prevent it, all children should receive the same meal package.
❑    Meal sponsors are approved to serve up to two meals a day, and some qualifying sponsors may serve up to three—however it is most important to serve at least one healthy meal.
❑    Maintain a consistent schedule and serve meals at designated times on site. Meals may not be taken off-site unless you are approved by TDA to implement the fruit/vegetable option. Then, the only items that may be taken away from the site are a single fruit or vegetable source.

The reimbursements provide welcome supplemental funding for your summer youth programs. The reimbursement rates are amended periodically. NOTE: As of 2010, reimbursement rates are for combined operating and administrative expenses, with payment based on the combined rates and the number of meals served. In 2009, the reimbursement rates for operating costs were:

Breakfast Lunch/Supper Snacks
$1.65 $2.88 $0.67

Administrative Costs - Rural or Self-Prep Sites*

Breakfast Lunch/Supper Snacks
$0.1650 $0.3025 $0.0825

* All contractors who prepare their meals and those contractors who operate in rural areas but purchase their meals from a vendor receive these rates

Administrative Costs - Vended, Urban Sites*

Breakfast Lunch/Supper Snacks
$0.1300 $0.2500 $0.0650

* Contractors operating in urban areas and purchasing meals from a vendor receive these rates.

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Resources on the Web

National Summer Food Service Program

Basic Summer Food Service Program Information
o    http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/summer/
o    http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/guidance/SummerSchool.pdf
o    http://www.ncsl.org/Portals/1/documents/statefed/humserv/SFSP.pdf

Program Costs, Reimbursement, and Funding Options
o http://netx.squaremeals.com/SNP/news/rates.html#SFSPRates
o http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/summer/sponsors/managing.html#reimbursement

Basic Nutrition Guidelines and Information
o    http://www.mypyramid.gov/
o    http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/obesity/nutritionstrategies.shtm
o    http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/wichd/nut/pdf/GuidelinesNutAssmnt_06.pdf
o    http://www.frac.org/Legislative/action_center/index.html
o    http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/nutrition.html

Texas Specific Resources

Texas Summer Food Service Authorities and Associates
o    http://netx.squaremeals.com/SNP/summerfood/index.html
o    http://netx.squaremeals.com/SNP/handbooks.html
o    http://www.tacaa.org/indexHungerReliefClearinghouseFINAL.htm

How to File a Claim for Reimbursement in Texas
o http://netx.squaremeals.com/snp/reimbursement/index.html
o http://netx.squaremeals.com/snp/reimbursement/calendar.html

Texas Health and Nutrition Conscious Organizations
o    http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/obesity/
o    http://www.texansagainsthunger.blogspot.com/
o    http://www.sph.uth.tmc.edu/catch/cns.htm
o    http://txschoolhealth.org/resources.asp
o    http://www.tasn.net/default.asp
o    http://www.bcm.edu/cnrc/index.html

Texas Food Banks
o    http://www.endhungerintex.org/banks.asp
o    http://www.easttexasfoodbank.org/Programs/YouthPrograms.html#SFSP
o    http://www.ntfb.org/au_programs-summer-feeding-program.cfm
o    http://www.safoodbank.org/index.php/programs/summer-food
o    http://www.wtxfoodbank.org/programs/summer_food_service_program

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