Summer Food Service Program
Free Summer Meals for Kids & Teens!
When schools are closed for the summer, families lose access to a critical source of food received through the National School Breakfast and School Lunch programs. Food Gatherers is the largest sponsor of the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) in Washtenaw County, which provides free summer meals for children and teens at sites located throughout the community.
The 2024 Summer Food Service Program is generously sponsored by Toyota, with support from Kroger and Rotary Club of Ann Arbor.
Need help finding a program?
Contact Food Gatherers!
Phone: 734-761-2796
Email: info@foodgatherers.org
How to find a summer food site
This summer, Food Gatherers has three program types so families can visit the programs and locations that work best for them. Options include Eat and Play, Grab and Go, or Mini Grocery Pickup. Download the program schedules (linked below) or click on the map for details.
You can visit any program location, regardless of your address or school district. Meals are open to all children 0-18 years of age or persons up to 26 years of age who are enrolled in an educational program that is recognized by a state or local public educational agency.
Eat and Play
At the Eat and Play sites, each child is served a meal, which must be eaten on site. Tables and seating are provided and some sites may provide games and activities. Unfortunately, due to state restrictions, families can not take to-go meals or leftover food from Eat and Play sites.
Meals are open to all children, regardless of school district or home address.
Click the links below for the schedule:
Grab and Go
Grab and Go sites offer to-go meals for children that can be heated and enjoyed at home. Staff will ask how many children you are picking up for and give you the appropriate number of meals. Children do not need to be present for adults to pick up meals. Kids can pick up food for themselves and their siblings. A friend or neighbor can also pick up meals on behalf of another family who can’t make it to the Grab and Go program.
Click the links below for the schedule:
Mini Grocery Pickup
Mini Grocery Pickups are pop-up food distributions where families can pick up a pre-packed box of groceries to take home. Items include fresh and nonperishable foods.
Click the links below for the schedule:
Mini Grocery Pickup Flyer (ENGLISH)
Summer meal map
In addition to the program schedules, you can also use this map to see program locations. Click on the pins to see the details for each location.
More resources for families
Sign up for Summer EBT: This is a new federal program that provides a total of $120 in food benefits to families with school-age children during the summer months. Questions? Contact your school district to see if you’re eligible.
Check with your school about school meals: Many school districts offer a summer meal program for enrolled students. Contact your school district for more information. Click here for information on Ann Arbor Public Schools’ summer meal program.
Find local food distributions: Food Gatherers has a network of partner food pantries and meal programs that is open year-round to anyone in need. For a directory of free food distributions in Washtenaw County, visit our Find Food page or call 734-761-2796. For help finding resources outside of Washtenaw County, call 2-1-1 or go to mi211.org.
Agency Resources
How to become a summer food sponsor: Sponsors are eligible organizations that assume total responsibility for the administration of the SFSP. Sites are the locations where meals are served to children in a supervised setting. For sites to be eligible sites, they must serve children in low-income areas or serve specific groups of low-income children. Click here for MDE’s SFSP Sponsor and Site Eligibility Checklist. Contact MDE’s Summer Food Team with questions.
Connect with an existing sponsor to inquire about supporting your program. To view the list of Summer Food Sponsors in Washtenaw and Wayne County, click here.
SFSP promotion toolkit
Social media toolkit: Help spread the word about the Summer Food Service Program. Materials in this toolkit are to help you promote the program on your social media and other communication channels. Download the toolkit.
Outreach flyers: Print these flyers to share with families at programs or events. Available in English, Arabic, and Spanish.
Outreach poster: Display this poster in your office or community center to help spread the word about free summer meals for kids and teens. The multilingual posters (11×17) are available in vertical and horizontal orientations.
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: http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, 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 Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.