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Commonwealth of Puerto Rico Disaster Nutrition Assistance

There are no active disaster response efforts.

Past Responses

2022

Incident: Hurricane Fiona

Began: Sept. 18, 2022

Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

  • On Sept. 30, 2022, FNS approved Puerto Rico Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Woman, Infants, and Children (WIC) request for a waiver in response to Hurricane Fiona. Under the waiver approval, WIC participants who did not receive their benefits in September due to the impacts of Fiona may receive and use these benefits at retail stores through Oct. 31, 2022. Additionally, vendors (stores) may redeem and be reimbursed for those September benefits through Nov. 30, 2022. FNS approved this waiver with the above expiration dates, with the expectation that it will only be implemented for the four (4) clinics that remain negatively impacted due to Hurricane Fiona and were unable to issue timely WIC benefits in September 2022.

USDA Foods

  • On Sept. 24, 2022, FNS approved Puerto Rico’s request to approve the use of USDA Foods from The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) for Disaster Household Distribution (DHD) in response to Hurricane Fiona recovery efforts. Distribution of USDA Foods pre-boxed packages to approximately 30,000 individuals will begin on Sept. 20, 2022, and continue through Oct. 15, 2022.

Child Nutrition Programs

  • On Sept. 25, 2022, FNS approved Puerto Rico’s request for waivers in response to Hurricane Fiona that apply to the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and the National School Lunch Program Seamless Summer Option (SSO) during unanticipated school closures. These waivers are effective through Oct. 31, 2022.
    • Timeframe for Unanticipated School Closures - FNS waives the requirement that limits the use of flexibilities for meal service during unanticipated school closures to the October through April period. FNS also extends the use of these flexibilities outside of the October through April period to SSO for the duration of this waiver.
    • FNS waives the requirements to serve meals through the SFSP during an unanticipated school closure in a congregate setting - FNS also extends the non-congregate feeding flexibility to SSO for the duration of this waiver.
    • FNS waives the requirement that meals may only be served directly to children - FNS also extends the parent and guardian pick up flexibility to SSO for the duration of this waiver.
    • Meal Service Times for Unanticipated School Closures (SFSP/SSO) - FNS waives the requirements that set meal time parameters for SFSP sites. FNS also extends the meal service times flexibility to SSO for the duration of this waiver.
    • Service of Meals at School Sites during Unanticipated School Closures -FNS waives the requirement that limits the operation of SFSP during an unanticipated school closure to non-school sites. FNS also extends the service of meals at school sites during unanticipated school closures flexibility to SSO for the duration of this waiver.
  • On Sept. 25, 2022, FNS approved Puerto Rico’s request for waivers and exception in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) for school year operations in response to the recovery efforts for Hurricane Fiona. These waivers are effective through Oct. 31, 2022.
    • Non-Congregate Meal Service (NSLP and SBP) - FNS waives the requirements to serve meals through the NSLP and SBP in a congregate setting.
    • Meal Service Times (NSLP and SBP) - FNS waives the requirements that set meal time parameters for school lunch and breakfast.
    • Parent and Guardian Meal Pick Up (NSLP and SBP) - FNS waives the requirement that meals may only be served directly to children.
    • Offer Versus Serve (NSLP) - FNS waives the requirement to serve school lunches to senior high school students using offer versus serve. FNS also extends the offer versus serve flexibility to SSO for the duration of this waiver, when there is an unanticipated school closure during the school year.
    • Meal Pattern Exception - FNS will temporarily allow school meals and afterschool snacks that do not meet the meal pattern requirements. This applies to all meals served through the SBP and NSLP, including those served to students in preschool and through the Afterschool Snack Service. FNS expects that this exception will only be implemented by Program operators when meal requirements cannot be met due to Hurricane Fiona.
  • On Sept. 25, 2022, FNS approved Puerto Rico’s request for waivers in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) in response to the recovery efforts for Hurricane Fiona. These waivers are effective through Oct. 31, 2022.
    • Non-Congregate Meal Service (CACFP) - FNS waives the requirement to serve meals through CACFP in a congregate setting.
    • Parent and Guardian Meal Pick Up (CACFP) - FNS waives the requirement that meals may only be served directly to children and adult participants.
    • Meal Service Times (CACFP) - FNS waives the requirements that set meal time parameters for CACFP institutions and facilities.

Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP)

  • On Sept. 23, 2022, FNS approved the Puerto Rico Administration for the Socio-Economic Development of the Family (ADSEF) request to extend certification periods for sixty days for ongoing Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP) participants due to severe damage from Hurricane Fiona. The waiver is in effect through Nov. 21, 2022.
  • On Sept. 23, 2022, FNS approved Puerto Rico's request to extend the expiration date to waive state plan requirements and allow hot foods to be purchased at certified retailers utilizing the Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP) card. The amended waiver is effective through Oct. 9, 2022.
  • On Sept. 20, 2022, FNS approved Puerto Rico's request to waive state plan requirements and allow hot foods to be purchased at certified retailers utilizing the Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP) card. The waiver is effective through Sept. 25, 2022.
2020
Incident: 2020 Puerto Rico Earthquake

When: January 2020

Child Nutrition
  • On Feb. 27, 2020, FNS granted Puerto Rico Department of Education’s (PRDE’s) request for an extension of flexibilities in the child nutrition programs for the specifically identified school food authorities and sponsors. FNS granted the ability to serve and claim all meals for National School Lunch Program (NSLP), Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) at the free rate through March 31, 2020. FNS granted meal pattern flexibility for CACFP sponsors through March 31, 2020. FNS granted meal pattern flexibility for SFAs through March 31, 2020.
  • On Feb. 14, 2020, FNS approved PRDOE's request to add the 9 municipalities that received an IA declaration on Feb. 5, 2020 to the following waivers: Sponsors and SFAs may serve and claim meals that do not meet the NSLP, SBP and CACFP patterns; Sponsors and SFAs may serve meals for free and be reimbursed at the free reimbursement rate. The effective date for these flexibilities is Jan. 16, 2020 until Feb. 27, 2020.
  • On Feb. 4, 2020, FNS approved PRDOE’s waiver request to grant program operators in the 16 impacted municipalities the ability to serve and claim all NSLP, SBP and CACFP meals at the free rate through Feb. 27, 2020.
  • On Feb. 2, 2020, FNS approved PRDOE’s request for a waiver to meal pattern requirements in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Affected CACFP sponsors may serve and claim for reimbursement meals that do not meet the meal pattern requirements through Feb. 27, 2020.
  • On Jan. 31, 2020, FNS approved PRDOE request for an exception to meal pattern requirements in the NSLP and SBP. Affected schools in the 16 impacted municipalities may claim school lunch and breakfast meals that do not meet the meal pattern requirements through Feb. 27, 2020.
USDA Foods
  • On Feb. 5, 2020, FNS approved PRDOE’s request for the extension of disaster congregate feeding through Feb. 21, 2020.
  • On Jan. 7, 2020 FNS approved PRDOE’s request for USDA Food support for disaster congregate feeding.
2019
Incident: Tropical Storm Dorian

When: August 2019

Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP)
  • On Aug. 27, 2019, the Secretary of Family Affairs of Puerto Rico advised FNS that Puerto Rico issued some of the NAP September benefits to participants one week early in anticipation of Tropical Storm Dorian.
Page updated: November 26, 2024