Expanding Summer Meal Access in Rural Areas via Non-Congregate Feeding

Published: 2 hours ago

" Rural non-congregate feeding flexibilities such as meal bundling, grab-and-go service, and home delivery are once again available in Summer 2026. School districts and community partners who have previously not operated a summer feeding program due to cost and transportation concerns are encouraged to learn more about how these flexibilities can help provide free and nutritious meals to children during the summer months.
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Children receiving and enjoying nutritious meals is essential for their health, development, and overall well-being – throughout the school year and during the summer.

That’s why it’s never too early to start considering summer meals service. If you are a rural school district that is mandated to operate a summer program but is considering opting out via a waiver, or if your organization has never participated in a summer meals program, rural non-congregate service flexibilities such as grab-and-go service, parent/guardian pick-up, and home delivery can broaden accessibility of meals to students and potentially provide less cost and time-prohibitive ways to serve those meals.

Be on the lookout for updated materials and guidance on operating SFSP or SSO rural non-congregate sites to be released early next year, including the 2026 Non-Congregate Request Form and an updated Summer Rural Non-Congregate FAQs.

To learn more and stay informed about non-congregate summer meal service, visit SquareMeals.

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Assistance available in English and Spanish. Please call 877-TEX-MEAL (877-839-6325) for help. Additional translations services available as well.

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

1. Mail:

U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or

2. Fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or

3. Email: program.intake@usda.gov.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

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