April 19, 2011
TO: Sponsors of the Summer Food Service Program
RE: For-Profit Locations as Meal Sites
Effective immediately, ODE CNP may approve non-profit SFSP Sponsors to provide
meal service at for-profit sites.
USDA realized that access to the SFSP in low-income areas is often limited by the lack
of non-profit site locations. For example, a number of eligible children live in an
apartment complex located in an eligible area and owned by a for-profit corporation,
which offers the use of its complex community room as an SFSP site. However,
because the site has been deemed “for-profit”, this otherwise well-placed location is not
eligible to participate as a site under sponsorship of an eligible private non-profit or
public sponsor due to existing SFSP policy.
Enrolled for-profit sites or for-profit camps remain ineligible for participation in SFSP.
Requirements
ODE CNP may approve meal service sites, which are not identified as non-profit
locations, if the sites meet all of the following criteria:
- The sites must be operated under the sponsorship of an eligible public or private
non-profit SFSP Sponsor;
- The sites must operate as open sites or restricted open sites;
- The sites must be located in an area in which at least 50 percent of the children
are from households that are eligible for free or reduced price school meals;
- The sites must make meals available to all children in the area and must serve
meals to children on a first come, first served basis; and
- The sites must serve all meals at no charge
In addition:
- A sponsor approved to operate the meal service at a for-profit site must maintain
operational control over the meal service at the site and must also ensure that no
SFSP funds are provided to the site.
- The site operators cannot prepare the meals, and funds cannot be provided,
given or otherwise paid to the site to employ site staff. Only the sponsor’s trained
staff and volunteers, and sponsor-trained site staff serving as volunteers is
permitted to distribute the meals. For-profit sites must adhere to the same
provisions applicable to all other sites in the SFSP.
Authority to Deny SFSP Participation
ODE CNP has the authority to deny the participation of a for-profit site location. If the for-profit site is approved, ODE CNP must be able to monitor the site. ODE CNP has a
responsibility to ensure the purpose of allowing a for-profit site in the SFSP is to
improve access to the community and not provide a competitive advantage among forprofit
entities in the community.
If you have questions, please contact me at (503) 947-5892 or Barbara Cracknell, SFSP
Coordinator, at (503) 5911 or
barbara.cracknell@state.or.us 
Sincerely,
Lynne Reinoso
Manager, Community Nutrition
Child Nutrition Programs
Office of the Superintendent