The program, formerly known as the Summer Food Service Program, is open to all children and teenagers ages 18 and younger.
SUN Programs Manager Cathy Gallagher with the Kentucky Department of Education says the goal is to bridge the gap between late May and August for children who participate in the free and reduced-price school lunch programs.
"In 2025, on an average day, we served about 160-thousand kids across the state," says Gallagher.
Gallagher says the program serves children in all 120 counties of Kentucky and is critical to long-term physical and mental health.
"It really supports a child's growth because they are receiving good nutrition year-round," Gallagher says. "It helps them come back to school ready to learn when school starts back at the end of summer."
The SUN Programs are funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and are administered in partnership with schools and local community organizations.
