FNS Documents & Resources

English and Spanish versions of, "The Food Allergy Book: What School Employees Need to Know". Written by NEA Healthy Futures, a nonprofit organization affiliated with the National Education Association. 

The attached Q&As are issued in follow-up to Policy Memorandum SP 50-2013, Release of the new state agency Direct Certification Rate Data Element Report.

These questions and answers deal with able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs).

This memorandum provides regional offices with guidance as they work with states to ensure that online and paper SNAP applications meet federal requirements and are user-friendly, understandable and effective.

This memo provides the list of states that are eligible to waive SNAP participation time limits for Able Bodied Adults without Dependents for FY 2014. Under SNAP regulations, a state can qualify for a 12-month statewide ABA WD waiver if the Department of Labor Unemployment Insurance Service determines that it qualifies for extended unemployment benefits.

The new standards will allow schools to offer healthier snack foods for our children, while limiting junk food served to students. Students will still be able to buy snacks that meet common-sense standards for fat, saturated fat, sugar, and sodium, while promoting products that have whole grains, low fat dairy, fruits, vegetables or protein foods as their main ingredients.

This memo is to inform you of recent changes related to data exchanges for the purposes of direct certification for NSLP with SNAP. Please share this information with state agencies administering SNAP and continue to encourage them to fully cooperate with their NSLP counterparts to improve the direct certification of children in SNAP households.

The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 and the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, as amended by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010  require that children living in households receiving assistance under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program be directly certified for free school meals under the National School Lunch Program and/or the School Breakfast Program.

On July 16, 2012, FNS issued memorandum SP 38-2012, which allowed Residential Child Care Institutions, with state agency approval, to serve the National School Lunch Program meal pattern in effect for the highest age/grade group served to all residential students.