The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce's Office of Nutrition issued its final Summer Food Service Program bulletin for the 2025-2026 program year, reporting that 126 schools, nonprofits, and community organizations operated 1,360 meal sites during the 2026 summer. Meals were served in congregate and non-congregate settings at locations including schools, hospitals, churches, parks, camps, libraries, and fire stations, according to the office.
The office said it will host a series of off-season webinars beginning in December 2026 to prepare sponsors for Program Year 2027. Topics include area eligibility, non-congregate flexibilities, and review preparation, with sessions on full management plan submissions, new site establishment, rural non-congregate integrity plans, parent/guardian pick-up compliance, point-of-service meal counts, and closeout. The bulletin also promoted a 2026 sponsor survey and said feedback will guide next year's program improvements.
The 2027 Ohio Summer Summit is scheduled for March 1-2, 2027, at the Quest Conference Center in Westerville, the office announced, with sessions on local food sourcing, the rural non-congregate option, application and compliance, site supervisor duties, and food safety training. The bulletin listed Farm to Summer Challenge award recipients, including Gold Gourd winners such as Cincinnati Public Schools and Fremont City Schools, and said more than 7,000 participants joined the Cucumber Crunch.