Nevada’s summer food program aiming to keep kids fed

The final day of the Nye County School District’s 2025-2026 school term is tomorrow, Thursday, May 21 and while students are likely anticipating freedom from the classroom, many of them also rely on the breakfast and lunch they receive at school each day. As such, families all around the community will be worrying about how they will keep their kids fed during the months’ long summer break. That’s where the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) comes in.

“The need for healthy nutrition does not end when school lets out for the summer. The Summer Food Service Program fills that gap by providing good, nutritious food that’s ‘in’ when school is ‘out’,” the Nevada Dept. of Agriculture (NDA), which administers the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture-funded SFSP, details. “It ensures that children ages 18 years or younger, in low-income areas, can continue to receive nutritious meals during school vacations.”

Through the SFSP, children can receive up to two free meals, one meal and a snack, or two snacks each day, with absolutely no questions asked.

“More than 21 million breakfasts and 37 million lunches were served to students in Nevada during the last school year,” a news release from the NDA detailed. “Many students depend on this food, underscoring the importance of programs like SFSP to fill meal gaps while school is out.”

Utilizing partnerships with community organizations and entities, the SFSP provides meal sites located in places throughout the state, such as schools, camps, parks, playground, housing complexes, community centers, churches and other public sites where children gather in the summer. Here in Nye County, sites are available in both Pahrump and Amargosa.

“Summer should be a time for kids to grow, explore and thrive, not worry about where their next meal will come from,” NDA Division of Food and Nutrition Administrator Patricia Hoppe stated. “We encourage families to take advantage of these free meal sites and invite community partners to help us spread the word, so every child has access to the nutrition they need to stay healthy and ready for the school year ahead.”

Parents, children and teens can find a nearby meal site by visiting NVSummerMeals.com, texting “Summer Meals” to 914-342-7744 or calling 866-348-6479.

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com