For many families, summer break can bring uncertainty, especially when it comes to
consistent access to meals. That’s where the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and the
SUN Meals To-Go initiative step in.
Through a partnership between Community Schools of Frankfort and community support (including organizations like United Way for Clinton County), hundreds of local children are receiving nutritious meals even when school isn’t in session. Established in 1969 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the SFSP was designed to ensure that low-income children have access to meals during the summer months. It builds on existing child nutrition programs like the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program by funding local organizations to serve meals in communities where they’re most needed. Here in Frankfort, the SUN Meals To-Go program is led by CSF’s Food
Service Director Amanda Brackett.
In the past, United Way has also partnered with CSF and received the 2023 Turnip the Best Award, celebrating their efforts to combat food insecurity during the summer. The goal of the summer meal initiative remains clear: to continue enhancing the program so that no child in Clinton County goes without access to meals during school breaks. “Right now, we are feeding around 320 kids per day across the three pickup locations,”said Brackett. “When I’ve been present while we’re serving, the interaction with the families has been great. They are so grateful – and it’s nice to be able to see them face to face. We really get
to know them as people, and it’s great building those relationships.”
This summer, SUN Meals To-Go kits are available to anyone 18 years old and under. Families can pick up meals on Mondays and Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at either Suncrest Elementary (Door 1 by the front office) or Frankfort High School (Door 13 in the back parking lot). Monday kits include three breakfasts and three lunches, while Thursday kits include four breakfasts and four lunches per child. Cooking instructions are provided at pickup.
To participate, families should submit the form at bit.ly/CSFsummermeals. This registration will
cover all pick-ups for the remainder of the summer, with the last pickup scheduled for July 28.