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FNS Announces $26 Million of Investments in School Meal Programs
FNS today announced $26 million in new grants to support schools’ efforts to serve nutritious and delicious foods to students. Headlining the new investments are nearly $6.5 million in grants that will increase healthy foods in the school meals marketplace by supporting collaboration between schools, food producers and suppliers, and other partners.
05/16/2024
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Biden-Harris Administration Announces New School Meal Standards to Strengthen Child Nutrition
Secretary Tom Vilsack announced major steps to promote the health of America’s children through school meals. Nutrition standards for school meals will be gradually updated to include less sugar and flexibility with menu planning between Fall 2025 and Fall 2027. The Department arrived at these changes after listening closely to public feedback and considering the latest science-based recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
04/24/2024
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Join the Challenge: Grant Opportunities Now Open
The USDA Northeast Region announced today two new grant opportunities available through the School Food System Transformation Challenge Sub-Grants, part of USDA’s Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative.
02/13/2024
Subscriber Updates
USDA Publishes Proposed Rule Maintaining School Meal Flexibilities
In line with USDA’s unwavering promise to serve America’s children well through school meal programs, the department today announced it will publish a proposed rule maintaining flexibility for schools to serve tasty meals their kids will be eager to eat. These proposed changes respond directly to the needs of nutrition professionals who are the experts on-the-ground, hearing from our children every day.
11/24/2020
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ICYMI: USDA Extends Free Meals for All Kids
President Donald Trump proclaimed this week National School Lunch Week 2020, highlighting the vital role of school nutrition professionals in ensuring that children in all communities nationwide continue to get nutritious meals, despite the challenges posed by the current public health emergency.
10/16/2020
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USDA Celebrates World School Milk Day with Visit to Lebanon, Pennsylvania
FNS Administrator Pam Miller visited two sites in Lebanon, PA, today to celebrate World School Milk Day. Miller met with the American Dairy Association North East and toured Brook-Corner Holsteins dairy farm to see first-hand the hard work and dedication American farmers put into getting nutritious milk and other products to the school lunch table.
10/01/2020
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USDA Extends Free Meals for Kids Through December 31, 2020
Today, Secretary Sonny Perdue announced the USDA will extend several flexibilities through as late as Dec. 31, 2020. The flexibilities allow summer meal program operators to continue serving free meals to all children into the fall months.
08/31/2020
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USDA Meals to You Partnership Delivers Nearly 30 Million Meals
Secretary Sonny Perdue lauded the achievement of its Meals to You partnership, which has now delivered more than 28.5 million meals to the doorsteps of low-income kids in rural communities across America during the COVID-19 health crisis.
07/16/2020
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USDA Provides Flexibilities to Ensure Kids Receive Meals This Fall
Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced a range of nationwide flexibilities to ensure America’s children receive the nutritious food they need throughout the upcoming school year. These waivers give states, schools, and childcare providers time to plan for how they will serve children in the fall, including allowing for new and innovative feeding options as the nation recovers from the coronavirus.
06/25/2020
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USDA Ensures All Kids Can Get Free Meals This Summer as Nation Reopens
Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced a nationwide extension of another key flexibility for USDA’s child nutrition programs. This waiver allows local partners, who have been working overtime serving meals to kids during the health crisis, the ability to continue serving free meals to all children – regardless of where they live – for the remainder of the summer.
06/10/2020
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USDA Approves Program to Feed Kids in Georgia and Iowa
Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced Georgia and Iowa have been approved to operate Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer, a new program authorized by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act which provides assistance to families of children eligible for free or reduced-price meals dealing with school closures.
06/08/2020
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USDA Approves Program to Feed Kids in Alaska
Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced Alaska has been approved to operate Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer, a new program authorized by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act which provides assistance to families of children eligible for free or reduced-price meals dealing with school closures.
06/05/2020
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USDA Approves Program to Feed Kids in Mississippi
Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced Mississippi has been approved to operate Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer a new program authorized by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which provides assistance to families of children eligible for free or reduced-price meals dealing with school closures.
06/02/2020
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USDA Approves Program to Feed Kids in Hawaii
Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced Hawaii has been approved to operate Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer, a new program authorized by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which provides assistance to families of children eligible for free or reduced-price meals dealing with school closures.
05/28/2020
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USDA Approves Program to Feed Kids in Florida and Minnesota
Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced Florida and Minnesota have been approved to operate Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer, a new program authorized by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which provides assistance to families of children eligible for free or reduced-price meals dealing with school closures.
05/28/2020
Page updated: February 09, 2021