In the summer of 2025, nearly 300 organizations provided low-income children with daily meals at more than 2,100 sites across Pennsylvania as part of the state’s Summer Food Service Program.
Additional program sponsors and host sites are being sought this year.
“Across Pennsylvania, community organizations step up every year to make sure children have the food they need to stay healthy and ready to learn,” said Carrie Rowe, state education secretary. “If your organization is able to help, we invite you to partner with us to be a part of that work.”
YMCA of Laurel Highlands has been a partner in the program for more than three years, according to Y-Tots Preschool Director Kayla Naugle.
“We’ve been using it as a closed site for our summer camp program,” Naugle said. “It’s easier for parents and it gives the kids something fun to eat. But this way, parents don’t have to worry about packing a lunch for their children.”
Braddock nonprofit Greater Valley Community Services has served as an open host site for the past eight years.
“We were under the umbrella of another organization and then we branched off and began doing it ourselves,” said community engagement manager Reena Goodman. “We serve about 40 or 45 kids in Braddock and the Woodland Hills School District communities.”
Goodman said Greater Valley served nearly 2,200 meals in 2024-25. A staff of between five and 10 volunteers creates the menu, prepares and serves the food. Participating organizations are reimbursed for meals served in areas where at least 50% of children qualify for free or reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Program.
Goodman said the program works for them on two levels.
“Sometimes, kids in our other programs come over to the food-service program, and sometimes through word-of-mouth, we’ll get kids who come in for breakfast and lunch and start taking part in the other programs we offer,” she said.
Outside of the YMCA of Laurel Highlands, nearly every summer food service site in Westmoreland County is based in school districts. Southmoreland School District, for example, provides food for the YMCA in addition to several of its schools serving as host sites. It also provides food to host sites at Barclay and Loucks parks in Scottdale.
Goodman said Greater Valley officials have found participation in the program to be very rewarding.
“You never know who might be unable to put a meal on the table,” she said. “It’s great to be able to help families that are going through tough times, whether we’re aware of it or not.”
Participating organizations must be year-round, nonprofit entities, which include schools, local, municipal or county governments, libraries, churches, fire and police stations, residential summer camps, and national youth sports programs.
Organizations are responsible for managing the meal service sites that provide the meals to children. Beginning this summer, organizations serving rural areas may be approved to provide non-congregate meals, such as grab-and-go meals or delivered meals, to children in qualifying areas.
Most participating organizations may be reimbursed for up to two meals a day: lunch or dinner, and breakfast or a snack. For more, call 800-331-0129 or email RA-SFSP@pa.gov.
“It’s nice to know that kids are being fed and have an opportunity to get a healthy breakfast and lunch,” Goodman said.
