Colorado’s Summer Meals Program is seeking sponsors, sites and state partners to help ensure children and teens have access to healthy meals during the summer break.
In 2025, sponsors served more than 2 million meals at 616 sites through this program funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and administered by the Colorado Department of Education’s (CDE’s) School Nutrition Unit.
For the summer of 2026, eligible families can also receive support through the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) Program.
“No child should face a summer without reliable access to healthy food,” said Colorado Education Commissioner Dr. Susana Córdova. “These programs help close the nutrition gap when school is out, and they depend on strong partnerships with local organizations to reach kids in every corner of Colorado. We’re inviting community partners across the state to be part of that support for children and teens.”
The CDE and Hunger Free Colorado are working to expand summer meal access. They invite community organizations, including camps, government agencies, colleges and nonprofits to join as Summer Meals Program sites.
Organizations can learn more on CDE’s Become a Sponsor webpage, ed.cde.state.co.us/nutrition/become-a-sponsor.
According to data from the Colorado KidsCount Survey, nearly 30 percent of Colorado households with children experienced financial hardship.
“Consistent access to nutritious food is foundational to kids’ health and ability to learn and grow,” said Graciela Guillen, Hunger Free Colorado applied policy and economic justice coordinator. “Summer is often the hungriest time for kids — when families lose access to school meals and grocery budgets skyrocket. With federal cuts to SNAP putting additional strain on family budgets, Healthy School Meals for All, Summer EBT and the Summer Meals Program play a vital role in ensuring Colorado’s kids have reliable access to nutritious food year-round.”
The Summer Meals Program include schools, nonprofit organizations, government entities, camps, universities and community- and faith-based organizations.
About the Summer Meals Program:
- Meals are free to all kids and teens 18 years and younger. In rural locations, some meals may be taken home to eat.
- Parents do not need to apply to the program for their children to get free summer meals.
- Parents and youth can find summer meal sites by visiting www.kidsfoodfinder.org.
- Meals served follow USDA nutrition guidelines.
About the Summer EBT Program:
- Eligible families with school-aged children could receive $40 per month per child during the summer months.
- Funds to purchase groceries are placed on EBT cards.
- The program is led by the Colorado Department of Human Services with support from the CDE.
To learn more about Hunger Free Colorado, visit HungerFreeColorado.org. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.