Did You Know: 140K Hungry Students in Tennessee Fed for FREE Annually

It’s no secret, students from low-income families in US are highly reliant on the federally-funded meal programs. Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) established in Shelby County, Memphis, TN, is celebrating its 50-year anniversary in 2018! The Typical Student team previously told you about Hunger Games: 1 in 3 US Students Are Food Insecure Because of High Tuition Cost. Also, check out 7 Ways to Save Up on Food for US Students: From Cheap Meal Plans to Healthy Snacks.

The statistics from the Tennessee Department of Human Services suggests 1 in 4 school kids from low-income families living in Tennessee face hunger every day. Federally-funded meal programs keep students fed through summer holidays while they have no access to school lunches. Quick facts and figures to see how important the program is for the school kids:

• In 2017, 12,000 summer meals were delivered to organizations providing summer activities for students aged up to 18.
• During the school year, about 80,000 students are served for lunch and 60,000 at breakfast.
• In 2018, the program is having a serious upgrade: a mobile feeding program. The van will head out every Friday to serve free lunches to hungry students aged under 18 and younger. The location for the meal handout has not been confirmed yet.

The SFSP begins in late spring and lasts through the summer until the school opens for the fall term. However, special provisions can be made for areas with schools operating on year-round schedules.

For more information regarding the Summer Food Service Program, please call 615-313-4749 (main line) or send emails to TNSFSP.DHS@tn.gov (main email address