The purpose of this memorandum is to provide updated guidance on the child nutrition program flexibilities available during unanticipated school closures. Schools may face unanticipated closures due to natural disasters, unscheduled major building repairs, court orders relating to school safety or other issues, labor-management disputes, or, when approved by the state agency, a similar cause.
The FNS Southwest Regional Office convened a state workgroup comprised of seven state agencies with recent disaster experience to discuss concerns and best practices regarding D-SNAP implementation, program integrity, and program access.
Due to Hurricane Sandy, and effective immediately, retail food stores licensed by the Food and Nutrition Service to accept SNAP benefits in the following counties may accept SNAP benefits in exchange for HOT foods and foods intended to be consumed on retailer premises.
On Jan. 29, 201 3, President Barack Obama signed the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act 2013, providing TEFAP with $6 million in supplemental funding. The Act gives the Secretary authority to provide these funds to the States affected by Hurricane Sandy without regard to the formula normally used to allocate TEFAP entitlement foods and administrative funding among the States. In addition, the Act also gives the Secretary authority to provide the supplemental funding as USDA Foods, administrative funds, or both.
Due to Hurricane Sandy, and effective immediately, retail food stores licensed by the Food and Nutrition Service to accept SNAP benefits in the following counties may accept SNAP benefits in exchange for HOT foods and foods intended to be consumed on retailer premises: