SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today urged eligible organizations—schools, camps, nonprofits, Indian tribal governments, and government offices among them—to apply to become Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) sponsors and ensure underprivileged children have access to nutritious meals once school is out. Applications are due before June 1, 2016.

“Summer for our students should be a time of discovery, fun, and making memories,” Torlakson said. “For many California children from low-income families, however, summer can represent just the opposite with limited opportunities for educational enrichment, a lack of safe places for social activities, or a time without healthy meals to eat.”

Good summer nutrition plays an important role in addressing childhood obesity as well as combatting the “summer slide,” a learning loss that many children experience during the summer months.

via Seeks Sponsors for Summer Meals Program – Year 2016 (CA Dept of Education).