Feeding Low-Income Children When School Is OutThe Summer Food Service Program: Final Report
Anne Gordon, Ronette Briefel, Karen Needels, Nancy Wemmerus, Teresa Zavitsky, Randy Russo, Tania Tasse, Laura Kalb, Anne Peterson, and Darryl Creel of Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. ERS project representative: Jane E. Allshouse
E-FAN No. (03001) 419 pp,
March 2003
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, through the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), funds meals for children in low-income areas when school is not in session. The first comprehensive study of the SFSP since 1986 found that, in fiscal year 2001, more than 4,000 local sponsors provided about 130 million meals at more than 35,000 feeding sites. The number of children served in July 2001 (2.1 million per day) was about 14 percent of the number who received free or reduced-price school meals each day during the previous school year. On average, SFSP meals provided the levels of key nutrients recommended for school meals. However, breakfasts were slightly lower in food energy than recommended, and lunches were higher in fat. Half the SFSP sponsors were school districts, which operated about half the sites and served about half the meals. Other sponsors included government agencies, private nonprofit organizations, and residential camps. The nationally representative study, which was sponsored by USDA's Economic Research Service, surveyed State administrators, sponsor staff, and site staff on program operations and on factors that affect participation.
See also: Feeding Low-Income Children When School Is OutThe Summer Food Service Program: Executive Summary.
Keywords: Summer Food Service Program, SFSP, child nutrition programs, nutrient content, plate waste, low income, school meals, ERS, USDA
In this report ... Chapters are
in Adobe Acrobat PDF format.
- Abstract, Executive Summary, 913 kb
- Contents and List of Tables, 44 kb
- Chapter 1: Introduction, 1,758 kb
- Chapter 2: Program Characteristics, 1,760 kb
- Chapter 3: Program Administration, 1,760 kb
- Chapter 4: Program Participation and Outreach, 1,760 kb
- Chapter 5: Meal Service, 1,759 kb
- Chapter 6: Summary and Conclusions, 1,762 kb
- References, 1,762 kb
- Appendix A, 1,761 kb
- Appendix B, 1,764 kb
- Appendix C, 494 kb
- Appendix D, 405 kb
- Appendix E, 366 kb
- Appendix F, 239 kb
- Appendix G, 184 kb
- Entire Report, 2,597 kb
Updated date: March 26, 2003
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