Become a Meal Site

Local Lunchbox rethinks how USDA funding is used to bring delicious, locally-made, culturally familiar meals to kids 18 and under, 365 days a year.

As a meal distribution site, you can bring healthy, local food to your community.

HOW IT WORKS:

Learn More About Being a Meal Site

TWO TYPES OF MEAL SITES:

Community Groups

Community groups can serve USDA-reimbursable meals to eligible kids and teens during the summer, through SFSP, and after school during the school year, through CACFP.

Schools

Schools can serve USDA-reimbursable meals year-round through any USDA feeding program.

Community Groups

Community groups can serve USDA-reimbursable meals to eligible kids and teens during the summer, through SFSP, and after school during the school year, through CACFP.

How it works

  • Your org will be paired with a Financial Sponsor (eg YMCA, a school) who will purchase meals from a local food business on your behalf – if you’d like to sponsor your own program, learn more here

  • The food will be delivered to your site daily

  • The Financial Sponsor receives reimbursement from USDA for every meal served

What meals are allowed?

  • After-school programs (CACFP): snack & supper

  • Summer programs (SFSP): breakfast & lunch

Who’s qualified?

  • Any program serving kids age 0-18 who qualify for free lunch can participate at no cost

  • There may be restrictions if your program uses a facility that already has a food contract

  • Minimum program size: 50 lunches (or suppers) served per week, total

  • The program needs a physical address but can be hosted outside (e.g. a park)

What are the requirements?

  • Meal sites must be willing to record all meals received and served

  • Must assign one person as a point of contact

  • Meals must be eaten in-person (no grab & go), and programming must be offered

To get started, fill out the Local Lunchbox Meal Site Template form

  • The form will ask if you want to make a copy - click the blue ‘Make a Copy’ button

  • Email the completed form to Hello@LocalLunchbox.org - someone from the team will get back to you shortly

How it works

  • In most cases, schools will be their own financial sponsors for all USDA programs

  • Schools are the only entities that can sponsor breakfast and lunch during the school year

  • If your school does not sponsor USDA meals, a school can be paired with a community group for summer and after-school meals who will purchase meals from a local food business on your behalf

  • The food will be delivered to your site daily

  • The Financial Sponsor receives reimbursement from USDA for every meal served

What meals are allowed?

  • After-school programs (CACFP): snack & supper

  • Summer programs (SFSP): breakfast & lunch

Who’s qualified?

  • Any program serving kids age 0-18 who qualify for free lunch can participate at no cost

  • There may be restrictions if your program uses a facility that already has a food contract

  • Minimum program size: 50 lunches (or suppers) served per week, total

  • The program needs a physical address but can be hosted outside (e.g. a park)

What are the requirements?

  • Meal sites must be willing to record all meals received and served

  • Must assign one person as a point of contact

  • Meals must be eaten in-person (no grab & go), and programming must be offered

To get started, fill out the Local Lunchbox Meal Site Template form

  • The form will ask if you want to make a copy - click the blue Make a Copy button

  • Email the completed form to Hello@LocalLunchbox.org - someone from the team will get back to you shortly

Schools

Schools can serve USDA-reimbursable meals year-round through any USDA feeding program.

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— Vendor Testimonial

Become a Sponsor

As a financial sponsor, you can unlock the potential of the USDA to feed kids and bolster the local economy.

As a participating food vendor, you can bring healthy, local food to kids in your community – and make money on every meal!

Become a Vendor

Become a Meal Site

As a meal distribution site, you can bring healthy, local food to your community.