Have you reached out to your local 211 provider? When it comes to summer meals, 211 can be an invaluable partner. 211 is a free telephone and Web referral service–available in as many as 150 languages–that links families to local resources. According to 211 California, in 2009, more that 1.6 million Californians used 211 to [...]
Blog
Share Our Strength Survey Provides Summer Insight
Many summer meal providers find outreach to be their biggest challenge. To develop more effective outreach strategies that draw families to summer meal programs, it is imperative that we begin with an adequate understanding of the summer landscape: The need for summer nutrition assistance; where kids are during the summer; what aspects of summer programming [...]
5 Resources to Check Out Now
1. USDA’s 2013 Summer Food Service Program Webinar Series This year’s series focuses on a range of topics including engaging elected officials, addressing the transportation challenge and more. 2. Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) Summer Meals Matter Conference Call Series FRAC’s monthly calls share summer meal program best practices from around the country. 3. Partners [...]
Transforming Local Businesses into Summer Meal Partners
Are you engaging local businesses as summer meal program supporters? Businesses can help offset program costs while also building a stronger relationship with the community. Local businesses can recruit volunteers, provide financial or in-kind donations, or help promote your program. While for-profit organizations cannot be a summer meal sponsor, offering them an opportunity to support [...]
State Superintendent Torlakson Calls for Action
Now is the time for community and school district leaders to start the conversation about how they will come together to ensure that California’s low-income students do not fall through the proverbial cracks when school lets out for summer break. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson is urging leaders within the community and school [...]
Start the Year with a Summer Plan
Let’s make Summer 2013 the best yet. How? Make a summer plan that begins with an assessment of your community. Many city agencies and community-based organizations are looking for new opportunities to engage families. Summer meal programs provide just the right opportunity — the proverbial “glue” — to bring partners together and pool resources. Here [...]
Regional Forums Help Community Leaders Promote Nutrition
The California Department of Education and the Dairy Council of California will co-sponsor Teaching Healthy Habits for Life: A Community Approach, in partnership with the California Department of Public Health’s Network for a Healthy California and the UC Cooperative Extension. Five regional forums will be held to help leaders in school districts and other agencies forge partnerships to provide nutrition [...]
New Year, New Site
You may have noticed that the California Summer Meal Coalition’s website got a makeover. We like spiffy, but our ultimate goal is to be useful too. After the Coalition hosted its annual retreat in November in Sacramento, a common theme emerged: There needs to be a venue for summer meal providers to communicate ideas, questions, [...]