Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 11, 2025
CONTACT
Julia Sclafani
Public Relations Specialist
Email: julia.sclafani@ececd.nm.gov
Mobile: (505) 699–5937
1120 Paseo De Peralta
Santa Fe, NM 87501
The Summer Food Service Program is underway at 500+ sites statewide
Santa Fe, N.M. – The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), which helps bridge the nutrition gap for children, has officially launched its 2025 summer season.
Administered by the New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD), the program offers free, nutritious meals to children statewide while schools are on summer break.
More than 500 meal sites across New Mexico will serve meals on a first-come, first-served basis through August. No registration, proof of income or school enrollment is required to participate. Children and teens ages 1 to 18 are eligible to receive free meals through the program. Adults over 18 who have a mental or physical disability and are enrolled in school programs for individuals with disabilities are also eligible.
“We invite every New Mexican family to take advantage of this incredible program,” said ECECD Secretary Elizabeth Groginsky. “Nutritious meals are essential for children to thrive, and no child should go without food just because school is out. This program is one simple, effective way families can support their children’s health this summer—in a fun and social environment, too.”
SFSP plays a critical role in ensuring children continue to have access to nutritious meals during the summer months, when school is out. It is also part of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s broader strategy to reduce hunger and improve the quality of meals served to children. ECECD expects to serve approximately 17,000 children and 750,000 meals over the course of the summer—aiming to top the 16,565 kids and 720,603 meals served by SFSP in 2024.
Starting in July, some meals will include locally grown ingredients through a pilot program inspired by ECECD’s successful New Mexico Grown initiative. The effort supports local agriculture and expands access to fresh, healthy food for families across the state.
ECECD is working alongside the Public Education Department and the Health Care Authority to roll out a slate of summer food security programs, including the Seamless Summer Option and Sun Bucks. Approximately 271,000 K-12 students across New Mexico will receive Sun Bucks this summer, providing $32.5 million in food assistance to support families.
Hours and days of operation vary by location. To find a nearby site and view specific meal service times, visit summerfoodnm.org or call 1-800-EAT-COOL (1-800-328-2665).
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Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham launched the New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD) in 2020, making New Mexico among the first states to consolidate all early childhood programs and services under a single cabinet-level agency. Under this administration, ECECD has led the nation by expanding access to free New Mexico PreK, overseeing the largest investment in early childhood infrastructure in state history, and implementing cost-free child care for a majority of New Mexico families. Learn more about how ECECD supports children, families, and the early childhood professionals that serve our communities at nmececd.org. On Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as @NewMexicoECECD.