This memorandum seeks to ensure that current Food and Nutrition Service guidance pertaining to federal civil rights and nondiscrimination obligations remains aligned with applicable laws, regulations, executive orders and directives relevant to the agency’s 16 nutrition assistance programs.
USDA and eight other federal agencies recently published a final rule entitled, Partnerships With Faith-Based and Neighborhood Organizations at 89 FR 15671 (final rule). The final rule amended USDA regulations at 7 CFR part 16 related to equal opportunity for faith-based organizations that operate USDA programs and religious protections for USDA program beneficiaries.
The purpose of this memorandum is to revise guidance on the use of school and census data to establish area eligibility in the Child and Adult Care Food Program, the At-Risk Afterschool component of CACFP, the Summer Food Service Program, and the Seamless Summer Option of the National School Lunch Program.
The attached policy memorandum, “Modifications to Accommodate Disabilities in the School Meal Programs,” includes important updates to requirements related to accommodating children with disabilities participating in the school meal programs. Previous FNS guidance on this issue was included in FNS Instruction 783-2, Rev. 2, Meal Substitutions for Medical or other Special Dietary Reasons
One important goal of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 is to ensure that children have access to the nutrition they need to grow into healthy adults.
This memorandum notifies state agencies and local program operators of recently updated rules issued by the Federal Communications Commission regarding the calculation of discount rates under the E-Rate program for schools electing the Community Eligibility Provision.