The New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD), Early Care Education and Nutrition, Family Nutrition Bureau announces that it will once again administer the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) in New Mexico to help address the gap in children’s nutritional needs during the COVID-19 pandemic, the summer months, and at other times when school meals are not available.
The SFSP is a federally funded program administered nationally by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and administered at the State level by the ECECD. The primary purpose of the Program is to provide free meals to children, 18 years of age or under, from needy areas during the periods when area schools are closed for vacation during the summer months, during USDA authorized extensions of the Program and at other times when unanticipated school closures occur. No registration or enrollment is required. A person over 18 years of age who has a mental or physical disability (as determined by a State or local educational agency) and who participates during the school year in a public or private non-profit school program (established for the mentally or physically disabled) is also eligible to receive free meals.
Organizations eligible for sponsorship are:
- public or private nonprofit school food authorities; public or private nonprofit residential camps;
- units of local, municipal, county, tribal, State and Federal governments,
- National Youth Sports Programs, and
- private nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations.
The SFSP has operated continuously since the declaration of the National emergency resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic on March 13, 2020. Since then the Program has been provided with many flexibilities to address the social distancing measures needed to slow the spread of the coronavirus while at the same time continuing uninterrupted meal service to children and youth during the 2020–2021 public school year.
It is anticipated that the currently participating SFSP sponsors and schools will end their current SFSP at the end of September 2021, although it is possible that USDA will grant a third extension to the Program to continue service into public school year 2021-2022.
To find a meal site near you, please visit https://summerfoodnm.org or call 1-800-EAT-COOL (1-800-328-2665).
Organizations interested in administering and operating the Summer Food Service Program at their local level, should contact the NM ECECD, Early Care Education and Nutrition, Family Nutrition Bureau at (505) 841-4856 or contact us via https://summerfodnm.org.
USDA Non-Discrimination Statement and Complaint Information
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, disability, age, 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: program.intake@usda.gov
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.