Many students rely on school meals for the nutrition they need for academic success, so to help ensure that Florida children have access to wholesome meals when school is out for the summer, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services partners with more than 4,000 schools and organizations to provide free, nutritious meals. The Summer BreakSpot program provides nutritious meals and recreational activities at no cost from June through August to children 18 and under who are from low-income areas.
Last summer, more than 4,600 sites helped serve more than 15 million meals to Florida children. The number of Summer BreakSpot meals served during the summer has increased by 52 percent since the department assumed responsibility of school nutrition programs, including Summer BreakSpot, in 2012.
There are several ways to find a Summer BreakSpot site:
- Dial 2-1-1.
- Text “FoodFL” to 877-877.
- Visit SummerBreakSpot.org.
Summer BreakSpot sites include open sites and camps (residential and non-residential). Open sites are sites where meals are available to all children in the area on a first-come, first-served basis.
To receive free meals at camps, children may need to meet income eligibility guidelines. Foster children who are members of households receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, or Temporary Assistance to Needy Families are automatically eligible to receive free meals at eligible sites. Children not currently receiving benefits must meet the income eligibility guidelines for reduced-price meals in the National School Lunch program. Income eligibility guidelines for School Year 2017 – 2018 are available at fns.usda.gov/school-meals/fr-041017.
Summer BreakSpot is part of the National Summer Food Service Program, a federally-funded program operated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). For more information, please visit SummerBreakSpot.org.
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, religious creed, disability, age, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: How to File a Complaint, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter 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;
- Fax: (202) 690-7442; or
- Email: [email protected].
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
