The N.C. Department of Public Instruction (DPI) is looking for schools and community organizations to serve as sponsors for summer nutrition programs this year “to help ensure children who have limited access to food at home get the educational enrichment and nutritious meals they need for optimal growth, development, and overall well-being,” according to this press release.

Schools and community organizations in rural areas, Indian Tribal Territories, and areas with a concentration of migrant farm workers are needed in particular.

Sponsor applications for N.C. Summer Nutrition Programs are due March 1, 2025.

Almost one million North Carolina K-12 public school students rely on the nutritious meals and snacks served during the school year through the school breakfast, school lunch, and afterschool meals programs, according to DPI. When school is out of session, North Carolina’s summer nutrition programs help fill the gap by providing free meals and snacks to youth, ages 18 and younger, who might otherwise go hungry, says the press release.

“Summer Nutrition Programs offer children not only nutritious meals but also educational enrichment critical for continued growth, development, learning and social emotional support when school is out,” said DPI’s Senior Director of School Nutrition and Auxiliary Services Rachel Findley. “Every child deserves the opportunity to succeed. School and community partners are key to helping make sure no child goes hungry during the summer.”

Last summer, according to the press release, DPI approved 175 on-site summer meal sponsors and 33 to-go summer meal sponsors. Through these community partnerships, community and school sites served over 4.2 million meals to hungry children and teens across the state.

Potential sponsors are advised to plan ahead as the application involves a multi-step process for completion and approval.

Who is in charge?

The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), houses the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).

SFSP “is a federally funded, State-administered program that reimburses providers who serve free, nutritious meals and snacks to children and teens in low-income areas when school is not in session,” says this USDA fact sheet.

DPI’s Office of School Nutrition administers the program in North Carolina, approving sponsor applications, conducting training of sponsors, monitoring SFSP operations, and processing program payments.

Sponsors sign agreements with DPI’s Office of School Nutrition to run the program. 

What is the role of a sponsor?

Sponsors are organizations that manage meal sites. According to DPI, sponsors will: 

• Attend the state agency’s training; 
• Locate and recruit eligible sites; 
• Hire, train, and supervise staff and volunteers;
• Arrange for meals to be prepared or delivered; 
• Monitor the sites; 
• Prepare and submit claims for reimbursement; and 
• Ensure that meal sites are sustainable through community partnerships, fundraising, and volunteer recruitment.

Who can be a sponsor?

Sponsors must be organizations that are fully capable of managing a food service program, according to DPI. To be a sponsor, you must follow regulations and be responsible, financially and administratively, for running your program. 

The following types of organizations can be sponsors: 

• Public or private nonprofit schools; 
• Units of local, municipal, county, tribal, or state government; 
• Private nonprofit organizations; 
• Public or private nonprofit camps; and 
• Public or private nonprofit universities or colleges.

The first step in becoming a sponsor

Want to become a sponsor?  Complete the SFSP Pre-Screening Tool to see if your organization is eligible.  Upon completion, a summer nutrition consultant will contact your organization to discuss the next steps. 

Here is more information.