Sponsors And Meal Sites Sought in Delaware For 2026 Summer Food Service Program

February 17, 2026/Joe Ciccanti

Delaware officials are seeking sponsors and meal sites for the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), a federally funded initiative that provides free meals to children in low-income areas during the summer months. The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides the funding, while in Delaware, the State Department of Education oversees its administration. Eligible sponsors — including local governments, schools, camps and nonprofit organizations — are reimbursed for serving meals at approved sites in qualifying areas. Children 18 and under can receive meals at no cost, and meals are also available to certain adults with disabilities participating in school programs. Sites must meet income-based eligibility requirements, and participating sponsors and locations receive training and ongoing support from the state.

Additional Information from the Delaware Department of Education:

 

Who Can Participate?

  • Sponsors – Units of local government, camps, schools, and private nonprofit organizations are eligible to operate SFSP as sponsors.
  • Meal sites – Individual sites, such as camps, housing complexes, community centers, parks and homes are eligible to operate a SFSP as a site under a sponsor.   The sponsor would prepare and deliver the meals to the site (some locations may be served by a food truck, depending on availability).   An adult at the site is required to be the site supervisor to oversee the meals being served.
  • Children – Children 18 and under may receive free meals and snacks through the SFSP. Meals and snacks also are available to persons with disabilities, over age 18, who participate in school programs. 

 

Sponsors and sites will receive training to help them operate a successful program and will receive continued support from DDOE throughout the course of the program. Sponsors of camps, closed sites, and conditional non-congregate sites must notify participants of the availability of free meals and inform them if an income eligibility form is required.

 

FOR USE BY SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM

INCOME ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES FOR REDUCED PRICE MEALS

Effective Date July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026

 

FEDERAL ELIGIBILITY INCOME CHART for School Year 2025 – 2026

Household size

Yearly

Monthly

Weekly

1

$28,953

$2,413

$557

2

$39,128

$3,261

$753

3

$49,303

$4,109

$949

4

$59, 478

$4,957

$1,144

5

$69,653

$5,805

$1,340

6

$79,828

$6,653

$1,536

7

$90,003

$7,501

$1,731

8

$100,178

$8,349

$1,927

Each additional person:

$10,175

$848

$196

 

 

 

Conversion Factors: Conversion is required if there are multiple income sources with more than one frequency (example: a ‘monthly’ Social Security check and a ‘weekly’ wage stub), the participating agency must annualize all income by multiplying: Weekly income by 52; Bi-weekly income (received every two weeks) by 26; Semi-monthly income (received twice a month) by 24; Monthly income by 12.

 

For information on becoming a SFSP sponsor or site, or to locate a sponsored site in your area, call (302) 857-3356 or visit: Summer Food Service Program Website.

                                                                                                                                                           

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, religion, sex, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

 

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 State or local Agency that administers the program or contact USDA through the Telecommunications Relay Service at 711 (voice and TTY). Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

 

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination 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: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Mail Stop 9410, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.

 

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

 

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