TDHS Opens 2026 Application Cycle for Summer Food Service Program
Tennessee is seeking program sponsors to support their communities by feeding children when school is out
The Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) announced today that the application for the 2026 Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is now open until May 1, 2026 for organizations interested in becoming a SFSP sponsor. The program aims to ensure children 18 and younger, who benefit from school meal programs, continue to have access to nutritious meals during the summer months.
Each year, TDHS partners with food sponsors across the state to provide these meals. The program traditionally runs from the end of May to August when the next school semester begins.
“In 2025, the Summer Food Service Program, provided more than seven million meals to children across Tennessee,” commented TDHS Commissioner Clarence H. Carter. “That impact is only possible because of strong community partners who step up to serve. As we open the 2026 application cycle, we encourage organizations across the state to join us in this vital work and help us ensure every child has access to nutritious meals during the summer months.”
While the SFSP has historically operated in most areas of the state, the program is focused on serving rural counties that have little to no SFSP meal sites including Benton, Carroll, Carter, Cocke, Fayette, Grainger, Houston, Humphreys, Johnson, Lauderdale, Marshall, Moore, Rhea, and Sequatchie. TDHS is actively recruiting sponsors to serve these counties and welcomes additional sponsors for every county across Tennessee.
If your organization is interested in becoming a SFSP sponsor or becoming a meal site under an existing sponsor, please contact the Tennessee Department of Human Services by e-mail at TNSFSP.DHS@tn.gov. For more information on the Summer Food Service Program, please visit the TDHS website.
In addition to children of school age, adults 19 and older with a mental or physical disability are eligible to receive free meals if they participate in a school program established for individuals with disabilities during the prior school year.
Parents interested in finding a Summer Food Service Program feeding location near them are encouraged contact the TDHS Summer Food Service Program main line at 615-313-4749 or contact their local school as the end of the school year approaches.
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