Program Overview
The Summer Food Service Program for Arkansas (SFSP) is funded by the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) and is administered by the Department of Health and Human Services in the state of Arkansas under the Special Nutrition Program Division. The SFSP assists children in belonging to underprivileged backgrounds and poor households to buy food items to improve their health conditions during their summer vacations. Through the Summer Food Service Program, the state makes sure that the children are getting nutritious food when they are not attending school during summer breaks.
Program Objectives
The main aim of the Iowa Summer Food Service Program is to provide the kids from underprivileged families living on a fixed budget with an opportunity to improve their food quality and receive healthy nutrition during their summer breaks. It helps them add valuable nutrition to their diet by purchasing food that is healthy and nutritious. Through the program, individuals and families are given education on how to include healthy food in their diet. This leads them to live a healthy and self- sustaining lifestyle subsequently increasing the quality of life of the people in the state.
The program is run by various local agencies in different communities. Their job is to identify children living in poor households whose parents’ income is low. The agencies also work to distribute healthy meals around churches, parks, and playgrounds.
Eligibility Requirements
Only eligible applicants can avail the benefits of the Summer Food Service Program for Arkansas and the eligibility requirements include,
- The candidate should be a permanent resident of Arkansas state
- The candidate must have a US citizenship or legal alien to receive the food supplement program
- The income level of the household should be within the income limit brackets specifies by the federal and the state government
The number of members in the household and the total household income are also very important factors while considering a candidate for the Arkansas Summer Food Service Program
The amount of the maximum gross income level before taxes must be less than or equal to
| Size Of Household | Maximum Annual Income Level ($) |
| 1 | $23,107 |
| 2 | $31,284 |
| 3 | $39,461 |
| 4 | $47,638 |
| 5 | $55,815 |
| 6 | $63,992 |
| 7 | $72,169 |
| 8 | $80,346 |
An additional amount of $8177 will be added per additional person if the size of the household exceeds more than 8 people. Also, it’s important to stay in touch with a proper managing agency in your locality to receive accurate guidelines and future policies related to the Summer Food Service Program for the state of Arkansas.
You can also visit the official website of the Arkansas Summer Food Service Program website to check the eligibility criteria of the program. The applicant will have to provide information like,
- Earnings
- Rent or mortgage
- Utility expenses
- Child support expenses
- Day-care expenses
- Medical bills, if you are older than 60, or disabled
- Other benefit programs you have applied to
- Any other payments
How To Apply
There are multiple ways to apply for the Arkansas Summer Food Service Program including,
- Online application
After making sure of your eligibility for the Summer Food Service Program, the next step is the application process. You can make your application online by visiting the Arkansas SFSP website. Here you will be provided with all the necessary information. This website provides easy and fast online services to the citizens of Arkansas to access the application form.
- Apply through the local office
Once you check the requirement for the Summer Food Service Program for Arkansas, the next step is to apply for the program. To get your child registered for free food at school, you will have to get in touch with your child’s school office. The school administration that deals with this program will guide you through the whole application process.
You can visit the link to apply for the SFSP program.
It is important to fill it as accurately and truthfully as possible because false statements can lead you to penalties. Once the application is submitted you cannot change it hence it is advisable to be careful while filling out the application form.
Before filling the application form make sure you have all the required information to speed up the process. Once you have filled out the application form you can return it to the DHS office either by
- Fax
- In-person
For Further Information
In case of queries or any extra data required, information about the Arkansas Summer Food Service Program is available on the https://dhs.arkansas.gov/dccece/snp/SummerInfoM.aspx website. The website provides information regarding the program policies and guidelines to applicants to help them get a better understating of the program.
Furthermore, you can also visit Frequently Asked Questions on the Arkansas SFSP page to learn more about the program. This makes the applying process very flexible for the applicants who can use any of the above-mentioned methods to apply for the Summer Food Service Program in the state of Arkansas.