Illinois Seeks Partners to Expand Summer Meal Access for Children

​SPRINGFIELD - The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) is calling on organizations statewide to join the effort to ensure children have access to nutritious meals over the summer. The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), which is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), served more than 4.3 million meals and snacks in 2024 - a 12 percent increase from the previous year.

"It's still cold outside, but it's not too early to start thinking about summer meals. Federally funded Summer Meals programs address childhood hunger and ensure children have access to nutritious meals during the summer months when most schools are out of session," said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Tony Sanders. "We are grateful to the schools and organizations that administer this program in their communities and help to fill this critical need. We hope to see even more communities step up to serve children this summer. Many children rely on school meals, and that need doesn't stop when summer begins."

Illinois had 144 SFSP sponsors and 1,585 meal sites in 2024. An additional 187 sponsors with 379 sites participated through the Seamless Summer Option (SSO), a similar program for school districts already operating the National School Lunch Program. SSO sponsors served an additional 923,263 meals and snacks - a 13.5% increase from 2023. Summer Meals programs operate in 74 of the state's 102 counties.

The USDA has expanded the availability of a non-congregate meal service option for qualifying sponsors to help increase access to meals. Traditional Summer Meals programs are required to be consumed onsite, but this flexibility allows grab-and-go meals if certain requirements are met.

"Our experience with non-congregate summer meals has been incredibly positive for our community of Virginia CUSD 64," said Virginia Community Unit School District 64 Superintendent Mekelle Neathery. "The non-congregate model helped remove barriers like transportation limitations, childcare needs, and scheduling conflicts. By partnering with community organizations, such as the Virginia Christian Women's Fellowship and Virginia Masonic Lodge No. 544, we created a stronger support network for our students. Families have expressed gratitude for the convenience and flexibility of this model, especially during challenging economic times."

SFSP provides funding to public or private nonprofit Local Education Agencies; entities of state, local, municipal, or county government; residential camps; organizations with 501(c)(3) status; and faith-based organizations to serve nutritious meals to children during the summer months when schools are not in session. The USDA recently announced the SFSP 2025 Reimbursement Rates for sponsors. The rates can be found under the Reimbursement Rates dropdown on the ISBE Summer Food Service Program webpage.

Organizations interested in participating in ISBE's Summer Food Service Program in 2025 can obtain more information by calling 800-545-7892, emailing cnp@isbe.net​, or visiting the ISBE SFSP webpage and/or the SSO webpage.

Resources for Families
Families in need of meals during the summer are encouraged to contact their school for information about local meal services. Additional resources include calling the hotline at 800-359-2163, which is operated by the Illinois Hunger Coalition in partnership with ISBE, or visiting the USDA online map to find nearby meal sites open to all children and youth age 18 and younger.

Non-Discrimination Statement
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture 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, which is the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form. A complainant also can obtain the form 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 about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 Form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

Mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
Fax: 833-256-1665 or 202-690-7442; or
Email: program.intake@usda.gov​

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