SPARKS, Nev. -
January 26, 2026The Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) is seeking partners to provide meals to children through the federally funded Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). SFSP ensures that students who depend on school meals have nutritious food when school is not in session. Over 900,000 meals were served through SFSP last year.
"Many students across Nevada depend on school meals - for some, it may be the only access to food they have," said NDA Division Administrator Patricia Hoppe. "The NDA relies on partnerships to help get food to these students."
Through the SFSP, partners are reimbursed for the meals they provide. Meals are available to children 18-years-old or younger during school closures, no questions asked. Partner participation and meal sites are needed to ensure Nevada's youth in low-income areas have continued access to healthy meals and snacks.
Sponsors may prepare meals or serve meals obtained from another SFSP partner, public or commercial food vendors, a local government agency or a school food service department. All meals must meet the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) minimum meal pattern requirements for SFSP. The program benefits all children in accordance with federal law and USDA policy and is prohibited from discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability.
Past sponsors have included Three Square Food Bank, Food Bank of Northern Nevada, churches, city parks, schools, and Boys & Girls Clubs throughout the state.
Organizations interested in becoming a sponsor should contact Lindsay Talbot at 702-668-4582 or LTALBOT@agri.nv.gov by March 27, 2026. For more information about SFSP, visit fns.usda.gov/sfsp.
About the Nevada Department of Agriculture
The Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) mission is to preserve, protect and promote Nevada's agriculture. The department has 225 dedicated employees providing services in its five divisions, Administrative Services, Animal Industry, Measurement Standards, Food and Nutrition, and Plant Health and Compliance. The department's $288 million budget facilitates regulatory and administrative work in agriculture and food manufacturing industries, protecting public and environmental health and worker safety, and providing food distribution and oversight for the United States Department of Agriculture's school and community nutrition programs.