March 30, 2022 – The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma is seeking sites to provide meals to children 18 and under for its Summer Feeding Program. The organization expects to see a large decrease in both the number of sites participating in its Summer Feeding Program as well as the number of children served during summer 2022 due to renewed USDA requirements.

The Summer Feeding Program is partially funded through federal dollars managed by the USDA and distributed through the Oklahoma State Department of Education. These programs have federal requirements that must be met to receive funding. When the pandemic began in 2020, the USDA implemented waivers that allowed the Regional Food Bank’s Summer Feeding sites to offer alternative models of feeding children, such as grab-and-go meals and didn’t require the meals to be consumed on-site. Those waivers will expire in late May, at the end of the 2021-22 school year.

“Many sites who have participated over the past two years are not equipped to host congregate feeding due to lack of space, staff or funds,” said Stacy Dykstra, chief executive officer of the Regional Food Bank. “The relaxed USDA requirements allowed the Regional Food Bank to reach so many more children who are in need of healthy meals during the summer months.”

Through the Summer Feeding Program, children up to the age of 18 years can receive a free, nutritious meal and snack during the summer months when school is not in session. Last year, the Regional Food Bank provided 229,000 meals and snacks to children at 127 sites across central and western Oklahoma.

“We strongly urge organizations interested in making a huge impact in their community to apply to become a Summer Feeding Program site,” Dykstra said.

Interested sites must be in an area where the assigned school attendance area has at least 50 percent of children receiving free or reduced-price lunches. Sites may be at schools, nonprofits, churches, community centers, libraries or parks and recreation locations.

All sites must have appropriate places for children to eat and have established mealtimes throughout the summer.

Visit rfbo.org/summermeals to apply.