USDA is committed to providing nutrition assistance to hard-hit families across the country due to the coronavirus pandemic. In support of President Biden’s call to action on hunger, USDA announced that it is increasing the Pandemic EBT benefit by approximately 15 percent, providing more money for low-income families and millions of children missing meals due to school and child care closures.
FNS is aware that schools in multiple states are experiencing milk supply chain challenges related to packaging issues. This memorandum provides state agencies with information about existing authority related to schools and other child nutrition program operators experiencing inadequate milk supply. FNS encourages state agencies to use this authority when needed to support program operators impacted by the current milk packaging challenges.
This guidance applies to state agencies and local educational agencies administering the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. This guidance provides information on the final rule, Child Nutrition Programs: Community Eligibility Provision – Increasing Options for School.
This memorandum provides information on the revised Prototype Application for Free and Reduced Price School Meals. USDA updated the prototype application to improve the user experience for applicants by adjusting the reading level, streamlining the application instructions, and by adding clarity to the mailing instructions to reduce the number of applications sent to the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights.
This guidance outlines an additional $471.5 million being provided by FNS to enhance local school districts’ ability to purchase foods for school meals by offering resources needed to address supply chain challenges directly to schools and school districts.
USDA is committed to providing nutrition assistance to hard-hit families across the country due to the coronavirus pandemic. In support of President Biden’s call to action on hunger, USDA announced that it is increasing the Pandemic EBT benefit by approximately 15 percent, providing more money for low-income families and millions of children missing meals due to school and child care closures.
FNS waives, for all states, the requirements to serve meals that meet specified meal pattern requirements during the public health emergency due to COVID–19. This waiver applies to state agencies administering and local organizations operating the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs. These flexibilities also apply to the National School Lunch Program Seamless Summer Option.
This memo announces a new suite of child nutrition program nationwide waivers and flexibilities to support a successful school reopening in school year 2021-22.
FNS waives, for all state agencies and school food authorities, school meal programs onsite monitoring requirements. This waiver extends the Nationwide Waiver of Onsite Monitoring Requirements in the School Meals Programs – Revised – Extension 2 granted on Aug. 4, 2020 that expires on June 30, 2021.
This waiver allows schools and at-risk afterschool care centers, regardless of their location, to claim all NSLP, Afterschool Snack Service and Child and Adult Care Food Program At-risk Afterschool Program meals and snacks at the free rate. This waiver also allows day care homes participating in CACFP to claim all meals served to enrolled children at the tier 1 rate, regardless of their location.