2023 Summer Food Service Program

The Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) announced today their participation in the 2023 Summer Food Service Program and the opening of this year’s application period. The goal of the Summer Food Service Program is to ensure children 18 and younger, who benefit from meal programs at school, continue to have that same access to nutritious meals when school is out for the summer. Each year, TFHS partners with sponsors across the state to provide those summer meals. The program traditionally runs from the end of May to early August when the next school year begins. The need for these meals is especially important in rural counties in Tennessee and those counties designated as distressed. Last year in 2022, TDHS partnered with 45 sponsors across about 1,200 meal sites, and provided approximately 1.8 million meals for students through this program.

All organizations, governmental institutions, schools, and religious entities interested in learning more about becoming Summer Food Service Program sponsors are encouraged to visit the TDHS website to learn more about the program. That website is tn.gov/humanservices. Applications to be a sponsor are being accepted now through May 1st.