State seeks summer food sponsors

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction is looking for sponsors for its summer food service program.

The program provides meals to children in economically disadvantaged areas.

Sponsors can be public or private, non-profit school food authorities or summer camps, local government entities, public or private colleges or private non-profit organizations. Applications are due by May 7. To complete an application, visit https://dpi.wi.gov/community-nutrition/sfsp.

Local school districts are among the most common program sponsors.

Last year, due to the pandemic, the department received waivers to provide meals to children year round and not just during summer. Those waivers were extended through June 30 of this year. From March through December 2020, 248 sponsors provided nearly 40 million free meals at 1,650 locations across Wisconsin.