The MinÂneÂsoÂta Department of Education (MDE) is seekÂing sponÂsors and meal sites for this year's Summer Food Service Program as part of a naÂtionÂal efÂfort to comÂbat childÂhood hunÂger.
The proÂgram, which is fundÂed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and adÂminÂisÂtered by the state education department, is lookÂing for orÂganÂiÂzaÂtions that can proÂvide free nuÂtriÂtious meals to chilÂdren durÂing the sumÂmer break.
"We talk a lot aÂbout the achieveÂment gap here in MinÂneÂsoÂta, but we also have a nuÂtriÂtion gap," said DarÂon Korte, asÂsistÂant comÂmisÂsionÂer for the MDE. "For stuÂdents who live in povÂerÂty, the only nuÂtriÂtious meal they're getÂting each day is the one that they get at school."
The Summer Food Service Program was deÂsigned to close the nuÂtriÂtion gap by offering free meals to chilÂdren 18 and unÂder and to comÂmuniÂty memÂbers livÂing in povÂerÂty-stricken areas.
Last sumÂmer, the state education department and more than 200 local schools and orÂganÂiÂzaÂtions bandÂed toÂgether to serve more than 3 milÂlion chilÂdren at 930 sites — schools, liÂbraÂries, churchÂes, recÂreÂaÂtion centers, camps, comÂmuniÂty centers and othÂer sites in low-income areas.
CurÂrentÂly, the fedÂerÂal proÂgram serves only 18 percent of chilÂdren from low-inÂcome famiÂlies who get free or reÂduced-price meals durÂing the school year. But state edÂuÂcaÂtion ofÂfiÂcials say they are lookÂing to surÂpass that numÂber this year by tarÂgetÂing ruÂral areas, where hunÂgry famiÂlies are travÂelÂing long disÂtances to get food.
New partÂners will reÂceive trainÂing, on-site loÂgisÂtiÂcal asÂsistÂance and meal reÂimÂburseÂment fundÂing from the state education deÂpartÂment.
InÂterÂestÂed orÂganÂiÂzaÂtions should e-mail the state education department at mde.fns@state.mn.us.

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