State contracts available for student summer meals

OLYMPIA — The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction’s (OSPI) Child Nutrition Services office is now accepting applications for sponsors of the 2012 Summer Feeding Programs for children.

Eligible sponsors are those who operate a non-profit meal program during the summer to children age 18 and younger. Qualified sponsors will be reimbursed for eligible meals served. The meal sites must be located in areas where at least 50 percent of the children are qualified for free or reduced-price school meals or where at least 50 percent of the children enrolled in a specific program are eligible for free and reduced-price school meals. All children – regardless of family income level – can receive a free meal at approved sites.

Participation is open to public and private nonprofit school food authorities, residential summer camps, certain private nonprofit organizations and units of local, county, municipal, tribal, state or federal government. Colleges and universities that participate in the Upward Bound Program may also participate.

A sponsor may serve up to two meal types per day per child at each site. This may be a breakfast, breakfast and snack, snack, breakfast and lunch, lunch, lunch and snack or two snacks. Sites serving primarily migrant children may serve as many as three meal types per day per child, with the option of providing a supper meal.

Meals must meet the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) meal pattern requirements. Sponsors may prepare their own meals or purchase them from a school district or food service management company approved by OSPI’s Child Nutrition Services.

For further information, contact Donna Parsons, Director, Child Nutrition Services, OSPI, at 360-725-6200 or by mail at PO BOX 47200, Olympia WA 98504-7200.