The Miami-Dade County Community Action and Human Services Department (CAHSD) is currently on the lookout for partners to help support their Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), more commonly known as the Summer Breakspot Program, for this upcoming summer break. This project aims to combat hunger during the summer months by providing free and nutritious meals to the youth of Miami-Dade County. In order to effectively accomplish this service, the CAHSD plans on collaborating with local organizations. They are especially looking for those who would be willing to serve as partners and site locations for the distribution of these meals to the community.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has provided the funding required for this project and will continue to oversee operations throughout these sites, making sure that everything remains up to their health and cleanliness standards. At these sites, both hot and cold meals prepared from fresh, locally sourced foods will be available and ready for consumption.
As for dates and eligibility, this program is projected to last through the upcoming summer months. Specifically from June 9, 2025, through August 13, 2025, with distributions taking place at the aforementioned sites. Age is currently the only factor considered when determining eligibility because this program was made to uplift the impoverished youth of Miami-Dade County, who do not have access to the free school lunches during the break. To qualify for the program, individuals should be youth aged 18 years or younger. Income, race, color, sex, disability, age, or national origin are not taken into consideration.
Isabella Davalos, a sophomore at Coral Glades, shares, “I think that this decision is one that greatly benefits students that greatly depend on school for their meals. Focusing on taking care of students even outside of school helps the student body thrive, creating a safer environment catered to student’s needs.”
Nearly 75% of all students in the Miami-Dade County public school system have been registered for free or price-reduced lunch for the 2022-2023 school year. This means that seventy-five percent of students in Miami-Dade County did not meet, or fell below the Income Eligibility Guidelines. As of now, free lunch is available to all students with no need for registration, but that does not diminish the fact that a vast majority of students are in need of programs and services such as the SFSP.
As stated before, the SFSP is designed for the needs of lower-income students of Miami-Dade County, which in return uplifts the community as a whole. Freshman Lyla Squire expresses, “It’s really good for low-income students not to have to worry about having enough money to pay for lunch or having to skip meals to keep up with a school balance. This move by Miami-Dade Public Schools is a great step in the right direction.”
