Summer Meals
Hunger Doesn't Take Summer Off
Summer is when childhood hunger is highest
Because school meals are no longer available, summer break can increase children’s food insecurity, risk of hunger, learning loss in low-income children, and weight gain due to the loss of balanced school meals and poor nutrition. Only 1 in 10 children who receive free or reduced-price meals during the school year also take advantage of the summer meals options available.
This is where CHA’s Summer Meals program steps in to help fill the gap.
CHA's Summer Meals program supports Ohio’s children when school's out
CHA works with our partners across Ohio — schools, churches, parks, libraries, camps, and more — to provide healthy meals and simplify logistics. During summer, we sponsor partners and provide food through the USDA’s Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).
The USDA’s Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) helps by:
- Reimbursing approved organizations when meals meet USDA requirements
- Supporting programs in low-income areas
What our Summer Meals program provides:
- Nutritious meals at no cost to your program
- Meal logistics coordination—preparation and delivery
- Administrative and regulatory support
- Training on record-keeping and regulations
- Ongoing program support
- Managing financial responsibilities
- Expanding food access
Meal details
Meals are prepared and delivered by vendors as individual, pre-portioned meals. All menus meet USDA nutritional standards and include meat or meat alternative; fruits and vegetables; whole grains or bread, and milk.
Shelf-stable options are available where cold delivery isn’t feasible. Shelf-stable meals are also provided as backup in case of delivery disruptions and extra meals for fluctuating attendance.
How can your program get started?
To participate, your responsibilities are minimal:
- Attend a pre-service training
- Place and adjust standing food orders
- Accept deliveries and monitor temperatures (if applicable)
- Serve meals at a consistent daily time
- Create a share table for unopened food
- Track and report the number of meals served
Support for schools and community partners
We also helps schools and organizations start or expand summer meal services. CHA offers:
- Free expert guidance on enrolling in Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and Seamless Summer Option (SSO) for schools
- Marketing support to raise awareness and boost participation
- Consulting on best practices to improve summer meal programs