New York State Education Department Now Accepting Applications for the 2026 Summer Food Service Program

The New York State Education Department (NYSED) is now accepting applications for the 2026 Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). Established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the SFSP ensures that low-income children continue to receive nutritious meals when schools are not in session. Last year, 450 sponsoring organizations served meals to young people in need at more than 2,500 locations across the state.

Eligible organizations include public and nonpublic nonprofit schools; local, county, municipal, and state governmental entities; Indian tribal territories; migrant programs; nonprofit agencies; faith-based organizations; and camps. Sponsor organizations may also provide locations where parents or guardians can pick up meals or home-deliver meals to eligible children in rural areas who do not have access to a summer meal site.

Reimbursement and Training

SFSP sponsor organizations receive federal and state reimbursement for each meal served to a child or teen, according to predetermined reimbursement rates set by USDA and the state. Sponsors are organizations fully capable of managing a food service program and agree to serve meals to any eligible child in accordance with federal law and USDA policy, guidance, and instructions, including federal civil rights laws, regulations, and policies.

NYSED will provide SFSP sponsor training in-person and online in April. All organizations planning to participate in summer 2026 are required to attend one of these trainings. This year, the SFSP will operate throughout New York State from June 22 through September 7, 2026.

How to Apply

Interested organizations that are new to the Program may request a sponsor application and obtain additional information on the Summer Food Service Program website, or by contacting NYSED's Child Nutrition Program Administration by calling (518) 486-1086 or emailing [email protected]. Organizations that operated last year will be contacted in early spring to renew online.

In accordance with federal civil rights law and USDA 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.