Wondering what might be involved in starting up or running a summer meal program? Or perhaps you are a long-time sponsor and looking for new ideas to reach out to children and families? The Summer Meal Program Coalition is here to help.

Click here to view and listen to our May 4, 2011 webinar with presentations that help demystify the process of becoming a summer meal sponsor or site. Or learn more from the Q&A session (written transcipt).

You can also directly access a terrific Summer Meal PowerPoint from the Nutrition Services Division at the California Department of Education (CDE) that provides up-to-date information on requirements to participate a sponsor in the Summer Food Service Program (SSFP) and Seamless Summer Feeding Option (SSFO).

You can also view YMCA of Silicon Valley PowerPoint which showcases the approaches and tools they use to run their successful summer program.

And if you are an after-school program that wants resources about providing summer meals, take a look at the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) PowerPoint that reviews resources developed specifically for after-school providers.

Here’s our approach to help potential and current summer meal sponsors and sites: Why should you have to reinvent the wheel when you can have access to the materials, memos and lessons learned from leaders who run successful summer meal programs?

In addition to watching the webinar, you can also directly view the PowerPoints and tool boxes developed for the webinar, using the links below.

YMCA of Silicon Valley (YMCA-SV)
As a new sponsor of summer meals in 2009, the YMCA-SV served 18,308 meals. In 2010, they will add breakfasts to their summer meal program.

Want to learn more?

YMCA Case Study
YMCA-SV Tool Box
YMCA of SV PowerPoint from the May 4, 2011 Coalition Webinar

Take a look at the following materials for more ideas!

San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD)
In 2004, 16 park and recreation sites served 11,000 summer meals.
In 2009, 44 schools and 23 park and recreation sites served 250,000 meals

Want to learn more? Click on links below.

SDUSD Case Study
SDUSD Tool Box
SDUSD PowerPoint from April 7, 2010 Coalition Webinar

Click here to connect to the website for the SDUSD Food Services Summer Lunch Program.

Redwood Empire Food Bank (REFB)
In 2004, REFB partnered at 13 sites that provided 15,115 summer meals.
In 2009, as a sponsor, REFB supported 35 sites and helped serve 75,824 summer meals.

Want to learn more?

REFB Case Study
REFB Tool Box
REFB PowerPoint from April 7, 2010 Coalition Webinar

Click here to view a video about REFB and another about their summer meal program.

Click here to view and listen to our April 7, 2010 Summer Meal Webinar that profiles case studies and tools to provide sponsors and sites with model materials relating to administration, outreach, programming and nutrition education.

AND…. click here for valuable links and information from the Nutrition Services Division at the California Department of Education.