SANTA FE – The New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD) will continue administering the Summer Food Service Program in New Mexico in 2025—bridging the gap in children’s nutrition during the summer break and other school closures.
Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is a federally funded program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) administered in New Mexico by ECECD Early Care, Education, and Nutrition division’s Family Nutrition Bureau. The primary purpose of SFSP is to provide free meals through eligible sponsoring organizations to children in low-income areas in the summer months when most schools are closed.
All children ages 1-18 are eligible—no registration or enrollment is necessary. A person over 18 years of age who has a mental or physical disability and participates during the school year in a public or private, nonprofit school program may also be eligible to participate in SFSP.
Organizations eligible for meal site 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 Program sites; and private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations.
SFSP-sponsored organizations may provide site-based, in-person meal service and/or alternate, non-congregate meal services for rural communities that qualify. Non-congregate meal service refers to to-go meals for children distributed by sites designated as “rural” without an in-person option.
To find a meal site near you, visit summerfoodnm.org or call 1-800-EAT-COOL (1-800-328-2665).
Organizations interested in administering and operating SFSP meal services in their community should contact the Family Nutrition Bureau at 505-231-4703 or by using the contact form at summerfoodnm.org.
USDA Non-Discrimination Statement and Complaint Information
In accordance with federal civil rights law and 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, gender identity, sexual orientation, 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) at usda.gov/oascr/filing-program-discrimination-complaint-usda-customer and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA that includes 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
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
(2) fax: 202-690-7442; or
(3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.