Summer Food Service Program

Break for a Plate is a Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) created to ensure all Alabama children can continue to receive nutritious meals throughout their time away from school.

A federally-funded, state-administered program, it reimburses providers who serve free, healthy meals to children and teens aged 18 and younger when school is not in session.

While many receive free and reduced meals during the school year, children need healthy food all year long.

This is a reimbursement program based on meals served. Program sites are deemed eligible based on USDA requirements as determined by the Alabama State Department of Education.

Too many of our children are hungry:

• 1 of 5 U.S. children lack enough nutritious food
• 1 in 4 Alabama children live in families with food hardships
• Nearly 60% of Alabama public school children eat free/reduced school lunches
• Nationally, 10 million+ children—nearly 1 in 7—lived in poverty in 2019
• The child poverty rate is 1.5 times that for adults 18-64 and adults 65 and older
• Alabama is the nation’s sixth poorest state, with 300,000 children living in poverty.
• From 2010 to 2020, Alabama has lowered the food insecurity rate by 3%
• In 2014, 76 sponsors served 1,995,852 meals. In 2017, 114 sponsors served 2,896,580 meals.
• The number of organizations providing children’s meal locations tripled across the state, 2014-2020

Child hunger and malnutrition contribute to:

• Stunted growth, risk of illness, obesity, hospitalizations
• Poor school performance, disruptive behavior, emotional problems
• Decreased workforce readiness and skills

Statewide Procurement Order Guide Nutritional’s
To access the current nutritional product guides and specification sheets, please click here.